Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	word_n	world_n	worshipper_n	76	3	10.8346	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A35520	This is an answer to John Wiggans book, spread up and down in Lancashire, Cheshire and Wales, who is a baptist & a monarchy-man wherein may be seen how he exalts himself, against Christ the light, that doth enlighten every man : and also some of his, and his peoples erronious principles, and assertions, which he and his people held in a dispute, with some Quakers ... / from the prisoners at Lancaster, whom he then opposed being then a prisoner, Thomas Curwen, William Houlden, Henery Wood, William VVilson ; also here is an answer to his appendix annexed to the book by Margaret Fell.	Curwen, Thomas.; Fox, Margaret Askew Fell, 1614-1702.	1665 (1665)	Wing C7703; ESTC R40138	135,639	157

of all men especially of them that believe so saith ahe Apostle 1. And whereas thou say'st over and over again that all things should be proved by the Scripture and thou proves nothing to the matter 2. And whereas thou say'st again and again that the Meeting may be peaceable and quiet and thou was the first man that disturbed it And whereas thou say'st the words were left out as railing and reproachful speeches we thought thou would call the plain truth rayling and thou hoping that the thing would be so carried on it was so on our part but thou and thy people brake out into disorder and scornful speeches that thou was often reproved for thy immodesty and as I said before thou was the first man that was disorderly as thou speaks on over again as also thou was the first man that very uncivilly brake the order of one speaking at once neither didst thou observe it and as for limiting time and hour that is answered before and seeing the Meeting was put off with a pretence by the Jaylor as thou sayest we met with thee another day according to thy appointment and we know thou didst make an Oration before the meeting and then propounded that which thou could not maintain That Christ doth not enlighten every man with a saving Light that comes into the World c. And I John Stubbs stood up and told thee that Christ did enlighten every man that comes into the World with a saving Light and Richard Cubban did not alter what thou had spoken and written as the Reader may see in thy Book and why dost thou say that I Richard Cubban was perswaded with much ado for when thou would not stand to what thou had written and spoken then I stood to what thou would agree to and this was but a shift from thy own words we lookt thou should have made every word good thou had writen and spoken but thou shifts from thy own words and therefore we let thee have what words thou would stand to And whereas thou sayest I John Wiggan proceeded to prove premising first that the Question was not whethere there be some Light that comes into the World nor whether Christ do not enlighten true Believers with a saving Light forasmuch as I denyed not but did affirme there was some Light in every man that comes into the World and true Believers was enlightened with a saving Light Answ In thy assertion there was no mention of unbelievers as all may see in thy Book but thy assertion is Christ doth not enlighten every man that comes into the World with a saving Light then Believers are not according to thy words for thou sayest the Light wherewith every man is enlightened withal which we say is the Light of Christ is not saving and yet again thou contradicts thy self and saith Believers are lightened with a saving Light but and if Believers be enlightened with a saving Light and unbelievers be not how are they then condemned for their unbeliefe this Question neither thee nor thy people could answer For thy proof that Christ doth not enlighten every man that comes into the World with a saving Light thou sayest that Christ doth not enlighten no man but by his Spirit but Christ doth not give his Spirit to every man that comes into the World therefore he doth not enlighten every Man that comes into the World with a saving Light These words proves nothing at all but thy own ignorance of the Scriptures for God saith by his Prophet that he would pour out his Spirit upon all Flesh in the latter dayes And the Apostles saw those dayes come in their time as in Acts 2. and so this being proved that God pours out his Spirit upon all Flesh then he enlightens every man that comes into the World with a saving Light according to thy own assertion and so this overthrows thy opposing assertion And the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal 1 Cor. 12. 7. Now thou contradicts the Apostle here the true Minister he saith every man but thou gives him the lie and saith not every man God gives his Spirit unto but we say with the Apostles and the Prophets that God hath given his Spirit to all as in Joel 2. Acts 2. 1. Cor. 12. and they that do not profit in the Spirit are such as grieves it and quenches it and rebells against it as in Nehem. 9. and many other Scriptures which might be mentioned and as for the many Scriptures thou hast quoted they are to no purpose And thou sayest that thy first Proposition is clear from Isai 59. 12. this contradicts thy Proposition this speaks of the New Covenant Christ and in the 60. Chap. ver 3. and the 11. 12. how that the Gentiles that wicked people should come to the Light speaking of Christ and this quite makes against thee that saith Christ doth not enlighten every man with a saving Light and John 4. 16 17. but thou shouldst have read the 16. of John as well as that where thou may read they have the same Comforter the spirit of truth which leads the Saints into all Truth and how can thou or the World receive this Spirit which will not believe in the Light but hates it so this proves that all men have the Spirit and overthrowes thy assertion and Christ the Corner-stone breaks thee to pieces who opposes him and the plain Scripture which all people may read and leaves out that which makes against thee and Ephes 1. 17 18. because the Saints had the spirit of Wisdom and the eyes of their understandings was enlightened this thou brings to oppose Christ the Light and the Apostles Doctrine and Testimony that Christ did not enlighten every man that comes into the World and his Light is not saving which thou might as well deny Christ and say he is not saving who is the Light for none of these Scriptures doth say that Christ doth not enlighten every man that comes into the World with a saving Light and John 16. 13. makes nothing for thy purpose and whereas thou sayest Neither is there any other way by which Christ doth infuse a saving Light into any man but by his Spirit 1 Cor. 2. 10 11 and 12. vers Answ I pray you all people read this Scripture over and see whether there be any such word as Infusing a saving Light into any man but by his spirit you may see how he wrongs the Apostles words with his own words and wrongs John's words also for we know that the natural man knows not the things of God but by the Spirit they are understood for the Natural man quenches and grieves the spirit of God and so walks despitefully against the spirit of Grace therefore this is no proof that he hath it not because he cannot discern the things of God for the things of God are opened to him as he obeyes the Spirit of God And thou saith the assumtion

is proved by Jude that some are natural not having the spirit this of Jude proves that they had it and went in the error of Ballaam from the Spirit and these could speak the high words but it was in hypocrisie and so this Scripture clearly overthrowes thy argument which thou takes for a proof against John's Doctrine who saith Christ doth enlighten every man that comes into the World And John the 14. 17. which thou brings to prove that Christ doth not enlighten every man that comes into the world with a saving Light which saith no such thing but proves thy own weakness and ignorance for how should the world know Christ or see him when they hate his Light that comes from him and will not come to it because it doth reprove them and there Christ the Light testifies against the World because their deeds be evil read John the third and other places Again thou bringest Romans the 8. 9. to prove thy assertion and sayes some men have not the Spirit of Christ Now people see if this Scripture doth say in plain words that some men have not the spirit of Christ and see how he has wronged the Apostle and perverted his words and whether the Apostle did not tell them in the first of the Romans who were wicked people That that which might be known of God was manifested in them yet they Reprobated from it and so their hearts were darkened and so was not led by the Spirit as the Saints was and so they that quench the Spirit and will not have it to lead them how are they Christs and so mark the same Chapter in the following words They that are led by the Spirit of God they are the Sons of God And so thou may see how thou goes about to overthrow the Apostles words and Christs Doctrine thou hath a strange Doctrine and Preaching of thine to preach to the world and tell them they have not the spirit nor a saving Light And so all thy Testimonies thou hast brought doth not prove thy Proposition to be true that Christ doth not give his Spirit to every man that comes into the World which the 16. of John overthrowes thee And I disliking thy assumption as thou callest it but many ignorant people doth not know what thou meanest but thou would cover thy self by thy dark words for no proof that thou brought was to purpose for that of Jude which speaks of such as went in the way of Cain I say Cain had talked with God and heard his voice though he was a wicked man and this thou brings to prove that wicked men have not the Spirit and doth not know the things of God but Cain knew God for he talked with him and that must be by the Spirit and those that Jude speaks of were such as had been with them and went from them into the way of Cain or how could it have been said they had err'd and had not the spirit and the way And here people may see thou neither knows the Scriptures nor the power of God as wise as thou thinks thou art for my words were not that they lost it but that they err'd from it according to the Scripture and why could thou not put in all my words I spoke but perus'd my words and so left out that which pinched thee for I have borne my Testimony amongst many of your people both in England Scotland and Ireland and other places which many is come from you and sees your deceitful wayes of darkeness opposing the Light for I my self was one of you and now walkes in the light of the Lamb Glory for ever to the Highest And why doth thou wrong me for I denyed thy Proposition and held forth Christ the Saving Light And whereas thou sayest by the way If a Scripture pinch us we will not stick to give a meaning to it and such an one as may best suite our purpose Answ This is false for I gave no meanings to the Scriptures but as they are and there is no Scripture that thou brought which pinched any of us but they nipt and pinched thee as thou callest it And thou say'st thou replyed that it could not be that those in Jude ever had the Spirit because they were sensual and natural and went in Cains way and here all may see thou left out the word how they went in the way of Cain and error of Ballaam and Cain talked with God and that must be by the Spirit as I said before and God said should he not be accepted if he did well c. therefore Cain had the spirit of God and they that went in his way from the Christians err'd from the spirit the righteous way and so became natural and sensual in the self seperation from the spirit where thou art and that in the second of Corinthi is answered before and now people see if Jude and the first of Cor. 2. c. doth say that natural and sensual Men had never the spirit and you may see how this man perverts the Scriptures and wrongs them for his own ends for these Scriptures speaks no such things as he doth and how can the natural man discern the things of the Spirit of God when that he grieves the spirit of God by which he should receive them and errs from it as in Jude and is not led by it Cor. 2. and Rom. 8. and they that quench the spirit of God in themselves will oppose it in others as thou dost and those that are led by the spirit of God they are they that discern spiritual thing and they that quench it doth not and thou repeats the 2. of Cor. 2. to no purpose for thee and they cannot decern the things of God that quenches the spirit and errs from it but they can decern the things of God that are led by the spirit of God as in the 1 Cor. 2. and this doth not say he hath not the spirit of God thou wrongs the Scriptures in that and adds to the Apostles words for all people may see that reads thy words and the Scriptures what a pittiful meaning thou gives to the Scriptures here and speaks thy own words and would make people believe they are the Apostles words and so wrongs and belies the Apostles And as for thy charging us with disorder as I said before thou was the first man that was disorderly and thou spake when another was speaking and thy people many of them spake together and why dost thou complain and say some of us spake one after another for this was the agreement that one should speak after another and that thou could not have time to answer and thou had more time then any but it s thou that did not speak to the matter in hand but fell to preaching to the people and thou wrongest us for we spoke orderly one after another except we spoke when you were speaking disorderly and of your speaking unreverently of the things of

God and our asking the questions was to have thee make good the thing in hand which thou could not do and this is thy shift to say thou was obstructed but tell me who obstructed thee for not answering T. C. and old H. W. their Queries this half years time but thou would have had all the talk to have held what errors thou would and none to oppose thee and it seems M. F. and G. F. the truth that they spoke there tormented thee and where thou say'st G. F. coming in about that time thou was replying to J. S. this is false for thou was speaking to M. F. and held the debate a good while after G. F. came in with her and then G. F. many people standing upon the Formes upon which he stood up upon and set one foot upon the edge of the Table for thou was gotten to the uppermost end of the Table in the highest place Priest like and what a great advantage hast thou taken here because G. F. stood up upon the Forme did not thou and the other Priest stand upon the Table before George Fox and was so unruly not to be gotten off the Table and thy own people stood upon the Formes scoffing and revileing and because that G. F. stood but the one foot upon the Forme and the other upon the Table leaning upon his Knee this thou could publish in thy Book as a great transgression And whereas thou sayest thou was standing that is false for thou was siting and when G. F. spoke to thee thou cockt up thy Hat more like a Ranter and a Player in a Tavern then one imployed in the service of God and G. F. reproved thee and told thee the things of God was weighty and that thou must not be leght and all the serious people beheld thy vanity and weakness and perverting the Scriptures And whereas thou sayest where thou and others were standing on the ground that is false too for many of you were siting we did not see you so reverend though some its true were standing and stood there where thou should not have stood and G. F. did take off the strength of the Scriptures alledged by thee and made it to appear contrary to that end thou brought it and made it to appear that thou confounded thy own assertion and did prove that every one that came into the World had the spirit of Christ according to their measure and thou falsly belies G. F. for he neither used undervaluing or taunting expressions and I believe that none will say so but thy self except it be some scoffers or scorners like thy self and G. F. needed not undervalue thee for thou under valued thy self in speaking against truth and against the plain Scriptures of truth And as for G. F. as thou saidst went several times from the Table and said the least Babe there was able to answer thee the dispute being not his liberty being granted upon which occasion he spoke something to thee who spoke that thou couldst not make good by the Scriptures as after will be manifest and it did appear there that one of the least babes in the truth thou could not answer to wit H. W. and F's presence who is in the truth was not so needful whom thou scoffingly termes their Leader or rather their misleader but the weakest amongst us saw and doth see thee that thou was art and hath been a misleader to many of our Friends who now see thee who has Christ now to be their Leader Praises to the Lord God for ever and G. F. did not miserably wrest nor abuse the Scriptures as thou say'st but spoke them as they were but thou makes no conscience of lying who sayes he miserably wrested them but that which he spoke was in defence of the Truth against thy error and he would have the people to understand the Scripture thou brought to oppose thy self and the meeting was to that end that truth might be manifest to them for we were satisfied before and we are very well acquainted with these Scriptures that thou brought to pervert the Truth And thou was seen long ago for what end thy Preaching was And whereas thou say'st that which G. F. spake was not to the purpose then the Scripture thou brought was not to the purpose and herein thou hast confuted thy self for that which he spoke was to the Scriptures thou brought to oppose the Truth but it seems thou art offended because G. F. spoke to the people and opened the thing to them which makes thee complain manifesting that thou would keep and lead them in blindness and darkness that thou might make a prey upon them still And the thing that thou laid down before the people was that some men that comes into the World hath not the Spirit and thou would prove it out of Jude and when the Scripture was read there was no such words and yet he affirmed the same thing though he could not prove it perverting many Scriptures and yet could not make any to suite his purpose and when G. F. let him see the same he broke out into a rage and fury and spoke when he was speaking and so brake the civil order of speaking one by one and whereas he saith that in the Corinthians the manifestation of the spirit is given to every man to profit withal was spoken to the Saints or Church of God at Corinth and not to the wicked The Apostle doth not say it was to the Saints only but to every man and Christ saith what I say unto you I say unto all men watch and pray and how can they pray without the spirit and people you know it was the false Prophets that limited the Holy one and if the Corinthians every one had a manifestation of the spirit here is an If it seems thou questions this whether they had or no and say'st thou Every man that cometh into the World hath not a manifestation of the Spirit as before it s proved out of Acts 2. and John 16. and the Apostles words was every man and not every Saint dost thou not pervert the Apostles words here and also them that were Baptised by one Spirit into one body which were Saints and this thou brings to prove that the world that quenches and grieveth and rebelleth against and errs from the Spirit of God hath it not to reprove them which any that reads but Scriptures may see thy ignorance and darkness and whereas thou gain-sayest that the Apostle speaks only that the manifestation of the spirit of every man that was Baptized by one spirit into one body and made to drink into one spirit and not to every man that comes into the world Now people look this Chapter thorow 1 Corinthians 12. whether ye do find these words of Wiggan's in it or no that it is onely to them that believe and are Baptized and whether the Apostle has these Limits as he hath and whether his words be onely to them that

are baptized and made to drink into the one spirit and doth the Apostle say to every Saint and every one that is baptized into the spirit and not to every man that comes into the World doth the Apostle say these words but are not his words every man and not every Saint and for the same words used in the 11. of Corinthians makes nothing for thy purpose that all men have not the spirit for that is spoken to them that came together into one place there the Apostle distinguishes his own words what shifts art thou put too for to pervert the Truth And whereas thou sayest this is said to every man of them and not every man that comes into the World and now people see whether the Apostle saith the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every one of you only and see how he contradicts himself with the Scriptures he brings and would pervert it for the Apostle saith the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man and not to every one of you 1 Cor. 12. 7. and it s given to them to profit withal whether they do or not and Gods spirit is poured upon all flesh and so this Scripture makes nothing for thy purpose And as for Exodus 19. 5. this doth not oppose Gods pouring out of his Spirit upon all Flesh Acts 2. and Nehem. 9. was brought how that God gave his good spirit to such as rebelled against him which thou affirmed that wicked men had not the Spirit of God and we know that the Jewes was called the Church and people of God though many of them fell for their wickedness but these that rebelled against it had it that were wicked people which thou denyed and said that no wicked people had the Spirit of God which after thou confessed and so hast overthrown thy Assertion and so thou saith and unsaith Secondly Thou saith though it be said he gave them his good Spirit it will not follow that every particular or individual Israelite had this good Spirit but such as were Israelites indeed Ans Thou hast confessed that the Righteous hath the Spirit of God so thou art to prove that the wicked hath it not and in Joshuah the first there is nothing spoken in that Chapter that God doth not pour out his Spirit upon all Flesh and that wicked men hath not the spirit there is nothing at all for his purpose all that reads it may see And as for Romans 2. 28 29. this confounds thee all that reads it may see for this brings people to the spirit of God in them that they may be Jewes in the spirit and the Romans its known they had been Heathens and wicked people yet they had the Spirit and all being not Israel that be of Israel Rom. 9. 6. we know that neither are all true Christians that saith they are Christians but are such Israelites and Christians that quench the spirit as thou dost but thou denies that all men have it and so opposes the very Doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets And whereas thou say'st that saying in the 9. of Nehem. must be reserved thus Moses had that good Spirit and God promised to take off that good spirit that was upon him and put upon the seventy Elders Numb 11. 17. thus Joshuah was a man in whom was the Spirit Num. 27. 18. and had another spirit than many others had and was fitted thereby for the conduct of the Congregation Numb 27. 16. but it cannot hence be inserted that all or any of the fleshly seed of Abraham or such as were born after the flesh had the spirit but such onely as were born after the Spirit Gall. 4. 23 29. Ans This is Wiggan's conclusion and meaning upon these Scriptures which he hath brought to prove that every man that comes into the world hath not the Spirit which are not to that purpose at all and doth the 9. of Nehem. speak that Joshuah had the spirit and Moses and that it was put upon the Elders and was these them that Rebelled and slew the Lords Prophets and turned against him what Prophets of the Lord did they slay because thou sayest that in Nehem. must be reserved that Moses had the good Spirit c. and they after the flesh or any of the fleshly seed of Abraham or such as were born after the flesh had not the spirit but such as were born after the spirit c. and Nehemiah said generally he gave his good spirit unto them not only to Moses and Joshuah but such as turned their backs on the Lord which thou cannot prove that ever Moses or Joshuah slew the Lords Prophets c. and that God deliver'd them into the hands of their enemy to be vexed and troubled and as for Numb 11. 17. doth not prove that the Children of Israel had not the spirit of God nor Numb 27. 16 18. for that saith God is the spirit of all flesh that proves against thee for the Children of Israel had heard the voice of God and knew the power of God when thy came out of Egipt and knew his Law and so he was called their God and so they knew the things of God which they could not have done but by the spirit of God and Moses said they were the Children of God and were a holy people Deut. 14. and they were to hearken diligently to the voice of God c. and he had set his people the Jewes the seed of Abraham after the flesh above all Nations of the Earth Deut. 28. and yet thou fayest all Israel nor any after the flesh had not the Spirit and Gall. 4. 23 29. doth not prove that Israel after the flesh had not the Spirit because they were not born after it for those that persecutes them that are born after the spirit grieves the spirit of God in themselves as Christ said the Kingdom of Heaven was in the Pharisees that persecuted and the Jewes that stopt their Eares and shut their Eyes and would not hear nor see least they should have been converted and healed and that which they stopt their Eares and shut their eyes too plainly appears it was the Spirit else what did they backslide and erre from and quench and grieve so it is evident that all these Scriptures thou hast brought is to no purpose to prove that all men hath not the spirit And whereas thou brings Gall. 4. 6. of such as were Sons of God they may and oft do grieve the spirit of God it doth not say they may and oft do grieve the Spirit in the Ephes 4. 30. but this thou brings that the Sons of God grieves the Spirit of God and quenches it and not the wicked was there ever the like heard for we say and the Scriptures saith it is the wicked that grieves the Spirit of God and thou sayest it is the Sons of God and as for Acts the 7. 5. which we alledge which speak of their rebelling vexing and resisting

as be without God in the World and strangers have not the spirit of God in themselves to grieve and vex thou saith for that which may be known of God was manifest in them and when they knew God they did not glorifie him as God but became vain in their imaginations and changed the truth of God into a lye such becomes strangers to the life of God Rom. 1. so these Scriptures overthrowes thy assertions and proves that wicked men grieves the spirit of God in themselves as well as in others And whereas thou saist Joh. 16. 7 8. if I depart I will send the Comforter c. thou saist by this promise Christ makes is to send the holy Ghost after his departure it is evident enough that this Scripture can be no proof of thy assertion to wit that every man that comes into the world hath not the holy Ghost for if every man had him when he came into the world what need was there he should be sent to them after Christs Ascension nay rather this shews they had him not before he was sent and so not till after Christs departure which destroyes thy opinion yet thou grants the holy Ghost is come after Christ ascended to the Apostles and to reprove the World so by this thou hast overthrown thy own opinion and assertion and we say that Christ doth enlighten every man that comes into the World and is a Saviour and the Light is saving and the holy Ghost is given to reprove the World and lead the Saints and it s proved before that the wicked resisted the holy Ghost before Christ came in the flesh and the holy Ghost was given to the Disciples after Christ was ascended and he should reprove the World but thou denies it and sayes they have it not and so demes plain Scripture and perverts our Words for our Words is That Christ doth enlighten every Man that comes into the World and sayes believe in the Light and the holy Ghost reproves the World for their unbelief in the Light which leads the Saints unto all Truth Secondly Thou sayes this promise is made particularly to the Disciples of Christ I will send him to you and not unto the World Answ Why dost thou wrong the Scriptures doth it not say when he comes He shall reprove the World of Sin Righteousness and Judgment of Sin because they believe not in him was he sent then only to the Disciples and not to the World read Iohn 26. 7 8 9 10. over again and see thy own ignorance and darkness and it s sufficiently proved that the wicked resisted the holy Ghost before Christ came as also they that killed the Prophets and also it s proved that Christ did send the Comforter to his Disciples after his Ascension which Spirit should reprove the World and though the Disciples were led into all truth by the Spirit by which they was to preach the Gospel to all Nations that the name of Christ might be spread over all this doth not disprove the spirit of reproving the World which thou in thy ignorance brings to prove that the World hath not the spirit to reprove them and in the 17. of John Christ saith that they all may be one as thou Father art in me and I in them that the World may believe that thou hast sent me Now how can the Worldbelieve if they have not the Light and the Spirit in them to believe in seeing Believers hath the witness in themselves and as for Christs Miracles and signes which some believed and some gain-said for some said he did Miracles by the Prince of Devils such stop their eares and closed their eyes least they should be converted as Acts 27. And thou sayest the holy Ghost was poured upon none but who repented and believed this is thy saying who art ignorant of the Scriptures which saith God would pour out his Spirit upon all Flesh Acts 2. Joel 2 Joh. 16. and such as repented and believed received the holy Ghost and others resisted it and quenched it so that here is a difference betwixt the Believers and Unbelievers for the one receives it the other rejects it though it be powred out upon all as Christ saith The Word was sowne in the Field which is the World it was sowne upon all Grounds upon the Thorney the Bryrie the High-way and the stony Ground but who brought forth fruit but the good Ground Mat. 13. and this sufficiently proves that the spirit is powred upon all flesh and Heb. 6. which speaks of such as were once enlightened and had tasted of the Heavenly gift and was made partakers of the Holy Ghost and tasted of the good Word of God and if they shall fall away it were impossible to renew them again to repentance seeing they crucify the Lord of Glory the Son of God afresh and put him to open shame and now Priest Wiggan sayes these wicked men had not the spirit nor was not enlightened yet they crucifyed Christ afresh and put him to open shame and thus with his wisdome he abuses the Scriptures though he hath long made a Trade of them And whereas thou makes a preamble upon our words wherein we replyed to thy assertion to wit that no wicked man had the spirit of God but only the Saints and thou did affirm that Balaam had not the spirit of God and we proved that Balaam had the spirit of God and heard the word and voice of God as Numh. 24. and now thou hast overthrown thy own assertion and confesses that Balaam and Saul had the spirit of God which thou confesses was wicked men and thus thou hast split thy self upon the Rock and overthrown thy Foundation for before thou affirmed none had the spirit of God but believers and Balaam prophecyed of great things to the Jewes and God spoke to him and we know there is a difference betwixt those that grieves the spirit and those that walks in it and before thou was ignorant of these Scriptures as Balaam and Saul having the spirit of God and now thou confesses that wicked men may have it upon some occasions but sayes all wicked men hath it not read over again Joh. 16. Acts the 2d That the Holy Ghost should reprove the World and God would powre out his spirit upon all flesh which before thou would limit only to Believers with thy dark imaginations and how darest thou preach the Scriptures which are the things of God to wicked people who sayes they have not the spirit of God and here again thou overthrowes thy assertion and thou sayes it is the spirit of God in the Ministers of Christ that must convince the World and when as we bid thee who lookes upon thyself to be a Minister of Christ convince us of any evill we have done thou shufled it off and said God must convince us and so confuted thy Assertion and whereas thou wrests and perverts the Scriptures and sayes Balaam did not see the Starr

of Jacob which it is said at a full stop by Balaam there shall come a Starr out of Jacob and a Scepter shall rise out of Israel Now how could he prophesie of it if he did not see it and this overthrowes thee and thy Assertion who never saw so far as Balaam did And whereas thou sayest they shall see him when every eye sees him by this thou confounds thy own assertion for none can see God or Christ without the Light of the Spirit and thou confesses every eye shall see him and we may help thee a little further for every tongue shall confess and every Knee shall bow at the name of Jesus if thou knew what his Name is then thou mightest know that the Light of the body is the Eye which sees God And whereas thou brings Job who said when I see for my self and with my eyes and this thou brings to prove that Israel and Balaam should not see till the latter day and thou maist read Job and confute thy self Job 42. who saith I have heard of thee by the hearing of the eare but now my eye seeth thee here Job was a true Prophet for before he said he should see him now he sayes he did see him and thus thy ignorance knowes not Scriptures appeareth and we know what the Believers saw and are satisfyed and we believe thou hast not come so far as Balaams Asse nor heard the voice of God as he did though thou would sit as a Judge of the World and in the Saints conditions And whereas thou sayest that the Spirit of God dwelt no more in Balaam then the Angel of the Lord dwelt in the Asse and one of thy people said which thou say'st is no Baptist that Balaam had no more spirit then his Horse he was one of thy followers and took thy part and thou didst not gain-say him then and now thou say'st in effect the same that he did And that the spirit of God dwelt no more in Balaam then the Angel did in the Asse then let all people read Numb 22. Numb 23. Numb 24. did Balaam's Asse praise the Tents of Jacob and bless Israel and prophesie to many people and will God bring Balaam's Asse to Judgment as he doth Balaam for Balaam erred from the Spirit but thou cannot say his Asse did so and loved the wages of unrighteousness and hast not thou been there to run greedily after the error of Balaam for gifts and rewards does not thou remember a difference bewixt 40 l. and 100 l. for preaching about Manchester and who should have had this John and God testified against the error of Balaam but not against the Asse as in Jude and here it s proved Balaam had more spirit then his Horse as you called him which overthrowes the assertion of thee and thy fellowes And whereas thou makes a great transgression because we said he was a Baptist if thou be a Baptist he maintained thy Principle and was one with thee and why dost thou deny him now And whereas thou sayest there is a Light or Law in every man which convinceth and reproves of sin and this made Judas bring the money back again and this thou sayest doth not reprove of unbeliefs Judas was made a partaker of the Ministry and had he no more then a natural man is this according to thy knowledge of the Scripture did this which convinced Judas not reprove him of his unbelief did it not make him confess he had sinned in betraying the Innocent blood did he not see his unbelief and wickedness here Mat. 27. and to prove thy assertion thou brings Rom. 2. 14 15. which sayes the Gentiles that have not the Law do the things contained in the Law shews the work of the Law written in their hearts their consciences bearing witness c. and if thou read the 16. vers thou may see that this witness speaks in the day that God shall judge the Secrets of Men by Jesus Christ hereby it plainly appears that in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ this spirit which lead the Gentiles to do those things contained in the Law will justifie them and this uncircumcision the Apostle saith shall be counted Circumcision as vers 26. and doth not this Light which judges the secrets of all hearts by Jesus convince of unbelief so here thou hast belyed the Apostle and whereas thou sayest this was before that promise in the 16. of John we know that and whereas thou sayest that this spirit of truth was to convince the World of Sin as in the 16. of John and unbelief here thou hast overthrown that which thou asserted in the publick meeting for therein thou asserted that none had the spirit but Believers and this Scripture was to convince thee for that which convinced the Gentiles was within by which they knew God and was not that by the Spirit else how came they to be baptized in the spirit and circumcision in the spirit and thus one while thou confesses and another while denies and so is in confusion and goes about to bring one Scripture to overthrow another to thy own destruction for when the Holy Ghost was come when the Apostle preached to the Romans and the Gentiles which he spoke of and preached to was become the true Circumcision in the spirit and the Holy Ghost was come then which was promised And in all thy Answers it doth not disprove the Scripture which saith the World hath the Holy Ghost to reprove them but Christs words which is our assertion stands and thou and thy assertion by thy former arguments is shaken and so it is proved that the wicked and unregenerate hath the Holy Ghost which thou confesses is the spirit of Christ though they grieve it and all the Scriptures thou brought proves nothing to the contrary but overthrowes thy assertion and John 14. 17. is answered before for the World and thou art unlike to receive the spirit of truth when you reject and oppose the Light and will not receive it which you should believe in for if you receiv'd it it would not reprove you but you would have fellowship in it why dost thou judge the World hath it not when thou confesseth thou hath it and is in the same nature of the world in envy malice and revenge and Rom. 8. 9. proves nothing to thy assertion but saith the Saints was not in the flesh and they that quench and grieve the spirit of God and will not have the spirit of God but it reproves them for their sin c. how can they be said to be Christs when they will not have the spirit of Christ to lead them and Jude 19. is clear against thy assertion which speaks of such as had the spirit and erred from it and so became like Sodons and Cain and Core and Balaam these thou brings to prove that wicked men has not the spirit of God over and over Balaam had the spirit

thee that thou hates the light and when thou said the Plagues of God was upon Thomas Curwen this is not rayling with thee and said the spirit of the Devil spoke in him when he spoke truth to thee and this was thy fury and madness who art not fit to talk of the Saints conditions and so it is manifest thou knows not what spirit thou art of who dost not know the light of Christ to be saving neither hast thou shewed forth the fruits of the spirit of Christ with its workings And whereas thou would know where any of the Ministers of Christ or Christ called any strange birth of the flesh c. it seems thou art ignorant of the Scriptures as well as others as long as thou hast been a Merchant for did not Christ tell the Pharisees they were of their Father the Devil Iohn 8. and the Apostle said to Elimas the Sorcerer thou full of all subtilty who perverts the right way of God as thou dost hindering people from believing in the light Ioh. 12. Acts 13. and so we speak truth to thee as thou art we do not falsly accuse thee and now see thee where thou art who long deceived us but praised be the Lord we are come to Christ the saving Light which thou denyes and its manifest what thou art and what thy suffering is in the darkness against the light and thou proves thy self a Thief and a Robber who enters not in by the door Christ the Light but climbes up another way and therefore the sheep knows thy voice to be the stranger Iohn 10. and we know what thy compassion is but thou wants power thou hast manifested in this Book and the Letters thou hast sent up and down to Manchester and Stopperd and thy deeds are manifest in the light which thou hates so much and the Lord is rebuking the evil spirit and judging it and thou wilt feel the weight of his hand for thy maliciousness to his people and it is thou that hath mislead and misguided the simple who brings forth arguments to no purpose to strike at the Corner-stone Christ the Light it being fallen upon thee therefore thy Arguments is manifest to be to no purpose and therefore thou art thus tormented and whereas thou savest our Corner-stone being struck at then the building must needs fall to the ground but I say our foundation is Christ the Light Ioh. 8. which we know that thou and all the Generation of Priests have struck at till you are all tumbled down your selves but Christ our Corner stone and Foundation and Light never fell but thine is fallen and therefore thou ragest And we do affirm in our words and printed Books that Christ who says he is the Light in Joh. 8 he is the Dore Joh. 10. he is the quickning Spirit and he is the Corner stone which God hath laid in Sion he is the Truth and he is the All and in all and above all according to Scripture and to be believed in And hath enlightned every man that comes into the world and he is the Redeemer and the word and this thou denyest Christ the Light the Quickning Spirit the Way the Truth the Corner stone the Word the Foundation the Redeemer and the All And here indeed thou hast denyed the Corner stone and Christ Jesus which the Prophets Christ and the Apostles testified of so thou hast manifested thy self against them So never take their words to make a Trade of any more And thou canst not call Christ the Light a Quickning Spirit the Way the Truth the Word the Foundation the Corner stone the Redeemer this thou canst not call the True Jesus thou sayst We do believe thee and that thou art an Enemy to him and them that walk in his light are manifest and therefore have I Richard Gubbam proved thee a false Prophet and Antichrist according to thy own-words and we are come to Repentance and the knowledg of the Truth and thy ways be detected whereby many simple hearts be turned from them and so now we are many of us undeceived from such deceivers as thee who calls Christ the Light the Word the Way the Truth deceiving but the Lord rebuke thee who strives to keep Ignorant simple people from the Light and in darkness thou wouldst aspire up as a Judge of all conditions and knows not thy own to be miserable blind and naked Rev. 1. yet thou tell'st the Reader what the Light is and what it can do and what it cannot do and of what use it is when thou in the darkness cannot comprehend it And whereas thou tellest us of the Light of the first Adam and the Spirit of man is the Candle of the Lord Proverbs 20. and Genesis 2. Adam was made a living soul 1. Cor. 15. and thou sayest this Candle of the Lord or Light in every man is inferior to other Lights and is lower than the Angels and is limited and bounded c. And now would not this Light have justified the Jews and Adam and the Candle of the Lord would not that have directed them in his way and did not David call the word of God A Lanthorn to his feet and a Light unto his path And is this thy Spirit which is under the Bonds and Limits for where the Spirit of God is joyned to there is liberty and we do not tell thee of the Light of Adam thou art gone from the matter but we speak of the Light of Christ Jesus the second Adam the Lord from Heaven For our dispute was not about the earthly Adam the Spirit of a man but our discourse was about Christ the Light of the world the Saviour and thou tel'st us of the Light of Adam this is thy dark Wisdom and like thy knowledge and experience of Christ And whereas thou say'st the Spirit of a man or Light in every man is understood to be the Reason or the understanding of a man whereby he is adopted to know his Creator viz. who made him according to David Psalms 59. 6. Answ Here thou hast confuted thy self for can man be adopted to know his Creator with his own Spirit and Reason and his own Light which thou call'st Natural For the Natural man knows not the things of God and the Spirit of man knows the things that be of a man even so the Spirit of God knows the things that be of God and if all Nations must know the Lord God that made them and serve him and they are his people and the sheep of his Pasture and they must worship and kneel before the Lord their maker and keep his Laws then they should have the Spirit of God for natural men cannot discern the things of God nor hear his voyee nor worship him as thou said'st before so these Scriptures over throws thy assertion Psal 95. 6. And whereas thou say'st of this Light we may understand Christ to speak Mat. 6. 23. Therefore if the Light in thee be Darkness how

Light that doth enlighten every man that comes into the World is an Anti-christ and Deceiver but here Priest Wiggan hath called John an Antichrist and Deceiver who came for a witness to bear witness of the true Light that lightens every man that comes into the world and I am the Light said Christ believe in the Light I am come a light into the world Joh. 8. 12. and they that did believe in the light had fellowship in it and the light that shone in their hearts gave them the knowledge of the Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4. 1 Ioh. 1. and so thou hast proved thy self to be an Antichrist and doth deny Christ come in the flesh who enlightens every man that comes into the world and thou calls the true light of Christ which the Saints and we walk in the Natural mans spirit and a Created light and a Natural light As to thy Objection which is against John who saith this is the true light that enlightens every man that comes into the World Would John have bid them believe in it except it had been Christ Joh. 1. 7 8 9. and this is an invincible proof against thy assertion and all the people thou dost deceive and John was a true Witness but thou art a false and John bore a true witness to the Light but thou bears false witness against the light and so thou turns people from light to darkness and the true Apostle turned them from darkness to the light Acts 2. 6. And whereas thou say'st We write in several Books as may be seen this light Christ is God the Lord God and the Lamb the Object of Faith and this true Light which is Christ enlightens not some but every man coming into the World and therefore it must needs be saving and that this light can be meant for no other then of Christ they further alleage John 3. 12. 12. 35 36. where it is plainly exprest that Christ is the Light Answ In this thou hast manifested thy ignorance of the Scriptures and of the Saints Testimony and thou scoffs because we say Christ hath not enlightened some but all and so thou art he that makes Sects amongst the people in saying he doth not enlighten them all thou may as well say his love was not to all in giving his Son for all and we say Christ the light is the object of Faith the true light that enlightens every man that comes into the world by whom the world was made and this is our Testimony to all men for the Lord and Christ is the light and the Lamb and God is light And this is our Message which we have heard of him that God is light and in him is no darkness at all and Christ and God will dwell in man whom we witness Glory to him for ever through which we see over thee who hath long deceived some of us Whereas thou say'st We have perverted many Scriptures That is false for we speak them as they are but it is manifest thou hast per verted many and quoted many false and many people that doth not know thy subtle devices but takes all things for granted without any trial such thou may deceive for thy Book manifests it self sufficiently if it had not been answered but only for the sake of the simple which thou keeps under thee in thy error and delusion that they might see thee and come from under thy snare for we are satisfied as to our selves for thy work is only to keep people in darkness from the light and we are come from under thy Captivity and see thy subtlety and snares and know what thou can say and long enough since saw thy confusion And thou say'st when it is said that was the true light which enlighteneth every man that comes into the World It must be considered first who this true Light is secondly how he doth enlighten every man that comes into the World for first the Scriptures do witness that this true Light is the word God by whom the World was made thus it is said Joh. 11. In the beginning was the Word and the Word was God all things was made by him that is by the Word God John was sent to bear witness of the Light that is of the word God that was the true Light that is the word God even he by whom the World was made he was in the World and the World knew him not which was the Creator and former of all things Ans In this you may see how he hath perverted the Scriptures and overthrown his Assertion and his former Writings in his Books for he saith that the light which lighteneth every man that comes into the World which John bore Testimony of is the word God by which all things was made and created which men was to believe in this was not a saving light saith he though it be Divine and doth he not call it a Created light a Natural light and the spirit of a Natural Man and now it is God and not saving for the Scripture saith the Word was with God Joh. 1. and this speaks of Christ and Christs Name is called the Word of God Rev. 19 13. and the Word was with God that thou hast left out and this Word became Flesh So he goes about to prove that Christ was not the Word with the Father before the World began which is contrary to the Scripture which saith I was with him in the beginning as Solomon saith and Christ saith Glorifie thou me with the same Glory which I had with thee before the World was Joh. 17. And again thou say'st The Word God thus considered is the true light the fountain and original of all lights according to the Scripture 1 Joh. 1. 5. God is light and in him is no darkness at all this is he in whom was life and the life was the light of men in whom we live move and have our being we are his off-spring and he is the fountain both of light and life to all beings according to their capacities as their Creator and thus we may see what this true light is the word God Answ And yet thou saist before this was not saving this true Light this word God how dark art thou is not Christ called God and his Name the Word of God Emanual God with us and 2 Pet. 3. 7. the Heavens and the Earth which are now by the same Word are kept in store c. And Heb. 11. 3. Through faith we understand that the Worlds were framed by the Word of God c. And Christ is the Light and Life of Men and not saving and is not he saving and is not he spiritual and saving whom all has a being in and moving in didst thou not call him before a natural Light and a created Light and a natural Mans spirit and would prove it out of Cor. 2. and now it is God and Creator and not Christ

contrary to the Scripture which saith he is the light of the World and in the begining was the Word and the Word was with God and his name is called the Word of God and so people may see how thou would divide God and Christ with thy dark wisedome And thou saist 2ly How doth he enlighten every man that comes into the world and saist in another place the word God or God the word as Creator of all things doth enlighten every man that cometh into the World by setting up in every man a spirit and Law in his heart by which he lives which is called the Candle of the Lord Prov. 20. 27 of which Spirit and law I have spoken before Ans This light which thou callest the Law and Spirit of a Natural Man and a Created light this thou hast not proved before as thou saist but it s perverted before for by this thy proof John came to bear witness of a Natural light and of a Natural mans spirit which knows not the things of God and by that John bid people believe in this so this is thy dark wisdom and like unto thy Preaching and it is no wonder people forsakes thee and that thou shouldst be unestablished thou needst not be offended for babes seeing thee for thou caust not be hid for John came to bear witness of the true light Christ and not of a natural Created light as thou imagines but of him the Prophets testified of he that was preferred before John Joh. 1. 3. the light of the Gentiles and the Glory of his people Israel and thou may see in the 15. vers which proves and 16 17. that was the Christ John bore witness of him and cryed saying this was he of whom I speak He that cometh after me is preferred before me and called Christ the Lamb of God that took away the sins of the World and this Light by which all things was made and Created He came unto his own and they received him not some hated the Light and stopt their ears and shut their eyes and would not see lest they should be converted as thou dost But to as many as received him he gave power to become the Sons of God them that believed in his Name and his name is the Word of God Rev. 19. And John saw and bore Record that this Light was the Son of God Joh. 1. 12 15 34. So this is an unfaithful and untrue account of the Light which thou hast given of the true Light Christ that doth enlighten every man John 1. 9. And whereas thou say'st It may be further observed that Christ is not once named in all or any of the first nine Verses of the first of John but only the Word Answ See how ignorant this man is of the Scriptures for it saith the Word was with God Mark that and doth thou deny this to be Christ whose Name is called the Word of God Rev. 19. Heb. 1. how God hath spoken in these last dayes unto us by his Son by whom the World was made And so here again he would make a difference betwixt Christ and God and because the word Christ is not there see how he shuffles and how ignorant he is for Christ is called the Light Life Truth and Word c. and Christ is called the Lamb of God Joh. 1. and John doth expresly say That he is the Light of the World Joh. 8. and doth enlighten every man that comes into the World which true Light John bore witness of that all through him might believe And thou has denyed Christ to be the Word who is the Light of the World and doth enlighten every man that comes into the World There is three that bears Record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost so thou hast denyed this Record in Heaven who saist the Word is not Christ who was with the Father spoken of in John the Word was with God and 1. John 552. VVe are in him that is true in his Son Jesus Christ this is the true God and Eternal Life And so thou goes about to make people believe Christ is not God and we know the VVord was made Flesh and dwells in Men which thou saist he Tabernacled amongst Men as though he did not now which we must tell thee he doth now by the light which shines in their hearts Cor. 2. 4. And whereas thou saist Christ the word being imbodied in Flesh he is thenceforth called Christ the Lord or the Lords Christ and no otherwise doth he bear that Name but as he is the word made Flesh to be seen and believed on it is not the word alone nor the flesh alone but the word and flesh in union that is called Christ and is a Light to lighten the Gentiles till then there was no such thing as a Christ or a Light to the Gentiles but only in a promise Ans Whereas thou saist there was no such thing as a Christ till he was imbodied in flesh nor light to the Gentiles but only in a promise Then what was that Light which let Nebuchadnezzar see the Stone cut out of the Mountain without hands and let Job see his Redeemer and doth not Stephen say that was Christ they thrust from them and turned back again in their hearts into Egipt Acts 7. And was not that Christ the Word which Moses spoke of to the Children of Israel that they should hear and need not say who shall ascend or who shall descend and did not the Apostle say that was Christ in Rom. 10. And this the Righteousness of Faith that Moses spoke of to the Children Deut. 30. 12. the VVord was in their hearts and mouthes and doth not David call him the Anointed as in Psal 2. 2. and is not the Anointed Christ And Daniel calls him Messiah which is Christ Dan. 9. and saw him before he came and is not the Word Christ which is according to the Law and Testimony Isa 8. And how was he a Lamb slain from the Foundation of the World and is it not said in Gen. 3. 15. the seed of the Woman shall bruise the Serpents heads and is not the Seed Christ Gal. 3. 16. and Christ said Before Abraham was I am and thus saith the Lord to his Anointed to Cyrus whose right hand I have upholden to subdue Nations before him And what thinks thou by this what is Anointed is Christ no where spoken of before he was imbodied in Flesh and we believe he was made flesh and know it and are of his flesh according to the Scripture and we do know the Union of Christ and the Word that was made flesh but thou believes not in this Christ the Word which was made flesh who is the Light of the Gentiles and the Glory of Israel and he could not be Christ without God who is manifest in the Flesh which is a mistery to thee and we know that Christ thorow the Gospel has brought life and immortality to

these things is a mystery to thee and thou knows nothing of them but what thou knowes naturally as a bruit Beast for thou cannot believe the Apostles Testimony that he gives in the 13. of the Acts when he is speaking of Saul vers 22. and when he had removed him to wit Saul he raised up David to be their King to whom he gave Testimony c. Of this Mans Seed hath God according to his promise raised vers 25 unto Israel a Saviour Jesus when John had preached before his coming and as John fulfilled his course he said whom think ye that I am c. Men and Brethren of the stock of Abraham and whosoever among you that feareth God to you is the word of this Salvation sent vers 26. So let the Reader read this portion of Scripture and see whether Christ Jesus be not Gods Covenant of Light and Promise unto Abraham and unto David and also whether this be not that which John bore Testimony of and so now thou art sufficiently proved thus far not only a breaker of Gods Covenant and Promise unto Abraham and his Seed for ever in whom the Apostle saith all the promises of God are yea and in him Amen 1 Cor. 20. The next is wherein thou has denyed Christ to be that word which John beares witness to which was in the begining with God saying the neglect of this distinction of the word Creator and the word made flesh is the ground of the great mistake of many thou saist who not considering what is testified of the Word as Creator do confound that Light which is set up by him in every man with that Light which he gives as he is the word made flesh and so calls that Light saving which is but natural springing up with him in his Creation yea hence they call that Light Christ which is but the Law written in the heart Answ I desire the Reader to read over the 1st of John and seriously consider what distinctions he findes made there from the word that was in the begining and the word that 's made flesh and the light that lightens every Man that 's come into the World and whether all these be not Christ which John beares witnesse of and whether John and the Spirit of God there have separated them as the blacknesse and darknesse in J. W. hath done and let the Reader judge whether this Man be not possest with an Inchanting Spirit of Sorcery and Witch-craft and even as it were given up to work wickednesse to his own destruction being filled with envy and malice against the Truth which has overthrown his rotten and sandy foundation and causes him so to rage that he even blasphemes against the God of Heaven that he even dares to separate the God-head and would not have Christ Jesus to be the true Light and Word of God which was in the begining in whom the fulnesse of the God-head dwells and that bodily Gal. 3. 9. And so as thou hast denyed Christ to be the Covenant of God thou has also denyed him to be the Word of God and also has denyed him to be the Light that lighteth every man that comes into the world and so has denyed his God-head as he is a Saviour by which all the Fathers were saved and dyed in the faith of him and the Patriarchs and the Prophets that had his word in their hearts and thou has denyed him to be the Light of Israel and thou has denyed him to be the first fruits of them that sleep and the first begotten from the dead and the first born of every Creature thou has denyed his very life and substance and the laying of his life down thou has denyed for thou said he denyed faith to some and one of thy Brethren said that his blood was not shed for all and thus you spake despight against the spirit of Grace and counts the blood of the Covenant an unholy thing and so Christ is of little value to you and you are not worthy of him but for the Seeds sake and that people may not be blinded with thy wickedness and blindness and darkness and that people may come to an understanding of the Truth I desire the Reader seriously to consider these following Proofes that is to say first of John That Word which was in the beginning with God by which all things was made and Created which was before man was made or Created and was glorified with the Father before the World began whether this be not the word Christ the Saviour of mankind according to the Apostles words in the 1. of Heb. 2. ver and so on hath in these last dayes spoken unto us by his Son whom he hath appointed heir of all things by whom also he made the World c. And whether this Son of God by which all things was made and Created is not the Saviour and the Word in the beginning and the Redeemer of all Mankind and whether the Word which Moses spoke of to the Children of Israel Deut. 30. 14. when he said The Word is very nigh thee in thy heart mouth that thou may do it and said then he had set Life and Death before them which the Apostle in the 10. of Hebrews bears testimony to who saith Christ is the end of the Law for Righteousness to every one that believes And when he rehearses Moses Words he saith Who shall ascend into Heaven that is to bring Christ down from above or who shall descend into the Deep that is to bring Christ up again from the Dead But what saith it the Word is nigh thee in thy mouth and in thy heart this is the word of Faith which we preach that if thou shall confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in thy heart that God has raised him from the dead thou shall be saved Doth not the Apostle say that this Lord Jesus is the Word this is the Doctrine the Apostle preached the same Word in the heart as Moses did But I. W. denies this Doctrine and this Word and this Jesus that is very nigh in the heart that preaches Righteousness he preacheth him afar off it vexeth him to hear of him nigh in his heart for his heart is filled with hypocrisie and darkness and Gods Word and Witness lyes slain in him and so all his Preaching is of Christ without him crucified at Jerusalem but he knows him not nor where he is and so all his separation is but in the darkness talking of a Christ without him and denying Gods Covenant of Light within Isa 49. 8. and denying Christ the Word in the heart which was that which the Apostle preached and likewise the Apostle Peter Acts. 10. 36. The Word which God sent unto the Children of Israel preaching peace by Jesus Christ the Word I say you know which was published throughout all Judea after the preaching of the Baptisme of John and hew God anointed Jesus Christ c. vers 43.

William Houlding Blacksmith and Henry Wood a daily Labouring man who cannot read on a Book and Thomas Curwen Husbandman and William Wilson Taylor who in the strength of the Lord desire to give the said John VViggan a meeting before the Sheriffe as he hath challenged us and hath sent his Challenge into the Town and not to us with many villifying and slanderous words in the said Book which he hath sent amongst the people so let all the wise in heart judge of this man whether he hath carried himself like a Rational man yea or no. The Assertions are as followeth 1. For John VViggan to prove and make good out of the Scriptures of truth 1. that Christ doth not enlighten every man that comes into the World with a saving Light contrary to John 1. 9. 2. That the Light wherewith every man is enlightened that comes into the World is not a saving Light 3. To make good that which thou hast laid down that there is some men that comes into the World hath not the spirit contrary to Iohn 16. 8. Acts 2. 7. 4. That Christs blood was not shed for all men contrary to the 1 Epistle of Iohn 2. 2. 5. That Balaam had no more of the spirit of God then his Horse and which was held forth in the dispute against us contrary to Numbers 24. 17. 6. That Balaam did not see the Starr of Iacob contrary to Numbers 24. 17. 7. And that wicked men hath not the spirit of God nor the Holy Ghost contrary to Gal. 2. Neh. 9. 8. That the Light before faith is not pure contrary to Rom. 7. 12. 9. And that Christ the Light that lightens every one that comes into the World is an Idol contrary to Ioh. 1. 9. 22. 13 46. 10. That the Grace of God is an Idol contrary to Ephesians 2. 5 8. 11. And that there is no mercy with God contrary to Psalm 13. 6. 12. That Christ is not the Word contrary to Revel 19. 13. 13. That the Light is a false Christ contrary to Ioh 12. 33 46. 14. And that Light doth not shine in darkness contrary to Iohn 1. 5. 15. And that God who is the Word doth enlighten every man that comes into the World is not saving 16. And that the Light Christ that enlightens every man that comes into the World is a Natural Light 17. That some are in the flesh and hath not the Spirit This is he to make good and prove how they can quench it and grieve it that hath it not 18. That some that comes into the World have not a saving Light 19. Some there are that are in the flesh and never had the spirit contrary to Rom. 10. 20. That the time must come that men must break their Plow-shares into Swords and Speares which his brother Price justifies in a Book and John Wiggan was offended because we marked it out for error and these things we would have the said John Wiggan to stand to and make good before the Sheriffe as he challenged by plain Scriptures of truth in the New Testament For both the Scriptures and Common-Prayer testifies against thy Principles Some more of John Wiggan's Assertions which are not many of them in the former above written 1. THat the Light in every man that comes into the World is not the Door nor the Mediator Saviour nor Redeemer nor the Way Truth the Life the Lord that bought them nor the Corner-stone nor the infallible spirit 2. That it is not the true Jesus but an Idol the Light wherewith every man is enlightened or the Light that lighteth every man 3. To follow Christ the Light is to follow a pernitious way 4. That the Light was natural and spirit of a natural man and was that in Adam which let him see his sin 5. That Light which is darkness spoken of in Math. 6. 22 23. le ts man see his Creator 6. And this Light looketh upon every thing done or to be done of man and yet this Light maketh not any thing that is done to be good or evil and yet this Light sheweth the Creator and this Light in man will render God Righteous in his Proceedings against man 7. That Christ doth not give his spirit to every man that comes into the World 8. That they in Iude spoken of as Cain and Cora and Balaam had not the spirit 9. And this Light with which every man is enlightened is Natural and its gross to say that the Light which enlightens every man is Christ 10. That the Light in every man is but the spirit of a man the Law written in the heart 11. That who so worships that Light that enlightens every man that comes into the World as Redeemer worships an imaginary and fictious Christ and an Idol denying the person of the true Jesus 12. That whosoever saith that he that is the Light in every man is Christ is a deceiver and an Antichrist and Iohn Wiggan will prove them so 13. And it is the subtle deceiver and adversary Satan that saith the Light which doth enlighten every man that comes into the World is the Lamb and the Lord and the object of faith 14. And the Light that doth enlighten every man is the Word and before he said it was the Natural man's spirit and an Idol c. 15. That the Light the word God which enlightens every man is natural and man by it knows nothing of Christ though he confess by it he knows the Eternal power and God-head the fulness whereof dwells in Christ bodily 16. And the word God the true Light which doth enlighten every man that comes into the World he saith is darkness Mat. 6. 22 23. 17. And the word God doth enlighten every man that comes into the World by setting up a Light and spirit in man which is called the Candle of the Lord and writing a Law in his heart and the Light which doth enlighten every man is not the word which was in the beginning 18. And Christ came a Light into the World not to enlighten every man that comes into the world and this light is able to seek and feel after God his Creator and by it man may know his Creator and the Eternal power and Godhead it is a created Light a great Light it is but a Candle Light but it discovers man's transgressions and this Light springeth up with mans spirit and this Light is the Spirit of a Natural man which doth not know the things of God and this Light discovered Adam's sin and this Light is Natural and not Spiritual 19. But this Light knows nothing of the Gospel mystery hid in God nor Redemption by Christ nor of Gods good purpose and Grace nor of the Law of faith 20. This Candle-light to wit that Light wherewith every man that comes into the World is enlightened is not able to discern the mystery of God in Christ And so make good these things by Scripture or stop thy mouth for ever

thou ever hear Christs voice at any time or hast thou seen his shape for if thou hadst known him the way thou would not have deny'd his Light to be saving to the World And hast thou not read Collos of some that intruded into these things they never saw which neglected Christ the body and head who is the way and Light c. And whereas thou sayes it is not possible to teach the way and know it not Mat. 2. 4 5. 27 28. 12. the Pharisees and the Priests preached Christ to come to Herod and told when he should be born by the Scriptures and yet knew him not to be the way when he came but persecuted him when he came as thou may know by the Scriptures when Christ rose and yet thou knowest him not to be the Way the Truth and the Life but denies him to be the saving Light spoken of in Joh. 1. And my words was not harsh nor rash censure but in plainness and truth as thou hast made it appear And as for me William Wilson I know nothing else thou livest in but beggarly Rudiments who denies Christ to be a saving Light who enlightens every man who shuts up the Gates of Heaven against men and will neither go in thy self nor suffer others to go in And shew me by plain Scripture where Christ calls taking of Bread and Wine an Ordinance for we do drink of the Vine and and eat of the Bread that comes down from Heaven And my words were neither harsh nor rash therefore thou dost us wrong to say so and to blame us and exclaime against us These Queries as followeth were sent to John Wiggan to answer by me Thomas Curwen and are unanswered to this day and he complaines he wanted time and hath had them above halfe a year when such a man as he is looked upon might have answered them in halfe a day 1 Query Whether thy way never fell 2 Where be all the daubers 3 Whether all the Ministers of Adam's house in the fall daubed not with untempered morter 4 Whether a man while he is upon the Earth shall be made free from the body of Death and sin while he is on this side the Grave 5. And whether Christ doth not enlighten every one that comes into the World with a saving Light 6. Whether is Bread and Wine Christ the substance yea or nay 7. And how long hast thou taken Bread and Wine in Remembrance of Christs Death till he come 8. And whether or no when he is come thou will take it in Remembrance of him 9 And which is the nearest to take a thing in Remembrance of his Death or to come into his Death 10 And whether or no thou thinkest to come any nearer to Christs death then taking Bread and Wine in Remembrance of him 11 And whether or no doth thou think to come any nearer to Christs death then to take Bread Wine in Remembrance of his death and so keep alive in the old nature and is not this the deceiver 12 Hast thou known the death the pangs and the sorrow and art thou become a fool for Christs sake and is the wisdom of the world become foolishness to thee and in what place boundest thou thy own 13 And how comest thou to receive that which is foolishness to the world and how was thou awakened out of sleep and when did the Grave open and when did the Prisoner shew himself forth 14 And when did the tongue of the Dumb sing 15 And when was the tongue of the first birth silent 16 And when was thou come to thy wits end 17 And how hast thou watered thy Couch 18 And what is the tongue of the Learned 19 And what is the Gray Hairs 20 And what is it that Anti-Christ and the false Prophets ravened from and where was it 21 And when did the Keepers of the House tremble and the strong man bow himself 22. And hast thou the same power and spirit to baptize and give Bread and Wine as the Apostles had and hast thou heard the voice of Christ as they did 23 And seeing thou took offence at me for calling thee a deceiver what is the true way where is it whether all Mankind be enlightened by it and whether it be within man or without 24 And whether or no thou hast seen it or hear it or heard the voice of God at any time or seen his shape Answer these Queries in a Scripture way in writing and bring forth thy deeds to the Light or else I do intend to stick a Coppy of them on thy Door tomorrow From thy friend Thomas Curwen the fifth day of the first Moneth 1664. directed for John Wiggan these And these Queries were sent to John Wiggan to be answered by him and because I said if he would not answer them I would stick them on the door tomorrow he sayes he has but a short time and yet in this half year he hath not answered them but he hath published them in his Book to his shame without an answer manifesting his insufficiency to resolve doubts and Questions in weighty matters to shuffle them off to the Reader he calls them frivilous and they stand still unanswered by him for if he had told us that he had been uncapable or unable of answering them we would so have taken it but he being a man so much looked upon and professing such high things he was able to resolve doubts and questions which if he had been a man as he is looked upon he would have been ashamed to have published them to the Reader unanswered and we did not boastingly send the Queries to thee nor sought advantage against thee but that the plain truth might have been manifested by thee if thou hadst had it but its manifest to the contrary and the Queries are pythy and full and some of them Queries about mans Salvation but thou scornes and scoffes at them and calls them frivilous and sayest thou had some weighty matter which we do not know any thou hadst without it was to study something against the saving Light to preach to thy people which was not a thing of so great weight who runs one while to thee and another while to other Priests who are unestablisht like thy self And in thy Letter to my first paper thou seems to be offended because that I said that thou was offended for calling thee a Deceiver of the people c. it manifests thou art offended by thy speaking of it so much abroad And as concerning my saying thou taught the way to others and knew it not thy self that is answered before and I did speak forth the words of truth and soberness to thee as being often burthened with hearing thy strange voice savouring thee to be out of the Spirit that gave forth the Scriptures And for making it appear whom thou hast deceived that I have done before and whom thou hast deceived and how in drawing them from

the pure Light of Christ which is saving which enlightens every man and for thy saying there will be but little truth found in saying thou taught thy way to others and it will be hard for me to prove or any of my friends thou hast proved it thy self and I have proved it sufficiently here before and also it was proved in the dispute but that thou art more minded to cavil then obey the truth and it s no matter of thee saying my words are improper when thou wilt not believe plain Scripture when as thou bids me tell thee where the Apostle said some preached the way the truth and the life and yet knew him not such as professed him in words and denyed him in life such as the Apostle calls evil doers evil beasts and slow bellies and teaches for filthy lukre as thou hast done who is a sayer and not a doer and such as preacht Christ of envy as thou dost and added afflictions to the Apostles bonds those knew not Christ the way and the life neither was in it for they were in the envy and strife as thou art and those are unlike to know him though they may preach him in words for envy blinded them as it hath done thee Philip. 1. 15. but did not those false Apostles deceitfull workers transforming themselves into the Apostles of Christ preach Christ in words as thou doest how could they have gone about to deceive the Saints which believed in Christ and were they not despisers of the Apostles and Ministers of Christ as thou art nay did they not boast that they were Ministers of Christ as thou doest and denyed his life as thou doest 2 Corinth 11. from the 13. to the 23. and did not Christ speak of such who preached in his name and in his name cast out Devils and I do not believe that ever thou came to see so far as these did and yet he said depart from me ye workers of iniquity and the false Prophets in the 24. of Matthew who said loe here is Christ and loe there these was Preachers of Christ in words under a pretence to bring them to a false Christ and Christ said go not forth after them for he would come and dwell in them and this thou cannot abide to hear spoken on of Christ being in men a saving Light and dost thou not know that many has a form of Godliness Tit. 3. 4. and what form is that is it not the Scriptures that speaks of God and Christ and denies the power wherein I feel thee to be one who are to be turned away from who withstand the truth and many of thy Hearers turned away from thee whom thou led away Captive And what wise man cansay I have wronged the Apostles words in this for I have not wronged the Apostles words but thou wrongest me and thou dost not preach the Love of Christ who denies the Light Christ to be saving that enlightens all men and Christ is the way the Truth and the Life who ever preach him or for what ever end they preach him for and we set up the Christ Jesus the Apostles preached and set up the Light of the World which the Prophets prophesied of but thou preachest another as was said before who denies his Light to be a saving Light in all men though some men neglect their Salvation as thou may read in the Scriptures and we have the same Gospel the Apostles had and preached to wit the power of God which I do believe thou was never yet in for if thou had thou would not have changed so and have left thy people for what hast thou left that Christ thou preached to the Independants or hast thou restored the Money which thou got amongst them so confess the truth for I never changed since I knew the Truth the same Christ the Apostles preacht and the true Religion I believe thou hath to seek it who denies the Light and so in meekness and fear I declare to thee we own no other Christ Jesus then the Apostles preacht and set up and this Christ Jesus I am not ashamed to confess before all who is the Light that enlightens all men that comes into the World who is the Salvation to the ends of the Earth who tasted death for every man and this is Gods Love to Mankind And whereas thou sayest thou will not answer my Queries nor satisfie me nor any Querist in this thou hast manifested thy self and spirit what it is and hast denyed a Christian Spirit who should be ready to give an answet to any that asked them a reason of the hope that was in them and my questions tends to edification and not to strife and confessing the working of God in their hearts and what they past thorow and the acquaintance with God hearing and seeing of him and things concerning Salvation and Scripture words that declares of the same and this is not edification to thee and yet thou contradicts thy self and sayest thou would give a reason of the hope that is in thee and yet doth not answer my Queries concerning-Christ the hope and other workings of the Spirit of God Truly John this manifests thy emptyness and shallowness of the things of God and that which concernes mans Salvation And thou sayest thou hast in readiness to answer in love those Queries was in Love sent to thee but this is but a shift and a boast for if thou hadst not answered them in love to us who thou accounts thy enemies though thou hast called us thy friends thou might have answered them for their sakes thou sent thy Book too if thou hadst no love to enemies John Wiggan thou sayest that the Light wherewith every man is lighted that comes into the World is not a saving Light and this thou say'st thou shalt thorough the strength of Christ be ready to maintain against me or any of my friends who hold the contrary when and where a meeting may be had in a peaceable and quiet way before competent Witnesses Answ Thee and all thy Witnesses at the meeting by all your opposing the Scriptures and us that stood for them could not make good that Christ was not the saving Light that enlightens every man that comes into the World though yee broke out into a rage and broke your own order which was that none should speak while another was speaking and thou was the first man that brake it both when G. F. and W. W. was speaking and neither love or humility proceeded from thee but abundance of pride rage and envy when thou was plung'd and could not make good what thou hadst asserted which was contrary to Christ and the Prophets as in Esaiah and John the 1. 8 12. And that which moved me to stick the Paper on the Door proceeded from the Holy Spirit which hath caused thee to vent forth so much against the Light of Christ and hath brought that forth which hath been so long hid in thy heart

of the Holy Spirit and by this it is manifest that they had the holy Spirit agreeable to that in the 16. of John and these were they that opprest Christ as a Cart under Sheaves and such vexed the Spirit as in Eccles And whereas thou sayest all that do grieve vex and resist the Spirit of God have it not but they resist the Spirit of God in the Prophets This is thy meaning we know they resist the Spirit of God in the Prophets when they first grieve it in themselves as thou dost and as in the fourth of John the World receives him not how should they when they hate the Light and resist it as thou dost but the Spirit reproves them therefore they have it though they cannot receiveit nor receive Christ but hate him and so it is thou that grieves Gods spirit in his Servants And whereas thou sayest when Steven said they do resist the holy Ghost it was the Spirit in him by which he spake as in Acts 6. 10. as in like manner they resisted the spirit in the Prophets as Acts 7. 52. which of the Prophets have not your Fathers persecuted c. This again is thy meaning but the Scriptures doth not say as thou saith for those that resisted the Holy Ghost in Stephen had received the Law of God by the disposition of Angels c. Acts 7. 53. now the Law of God was the things of God and the Angels ministring Spirits so these that had the things of God had the spirit of God and when they kept not the Law of God they quenched and resisted the spirit of God both in themselves and others And whereas thou sayest when the mighty power of God was put forth in signes and wonders in Egypt and the Wilderness Numb 14. 11. 22. and they believing not his Spirit not in them but put forth those mighty workes and speaking in Joshuah and other faithful Witnesses for God in that day thus the spirit of God was vexed in Noah and Lot by the wickedness of the Old World and not in the wicked who being strangers and without God in the world Answ None of these Scriptures doth say as thou say'st that the wicked had not the Spirit of God to grieve but that it was only grieved in Joshuah Noah and such like as for Numb 14. such as had seen the wonders of God ten times and yet did not hearken to the voice of God and therefore they erred in their beliefe as vers 11. now how can these hear the voice of God and have not the spirit of God And the Apostle said they did all drink of the spiritual Rock and all eat of the spiritual Meat and the Rock that followed them was Christ and yet thou say'st they had not the Spirit of God to grieve in them 1 Cor. 10. 3 4 5. and when they lusted and tempted God and murmured against God and fell then they grieved Gods spirit and yet thou say'st they had it not to grieve but it was only grieved in others and had it been Righteous with the Lord in one day to cause 23000. to fall if they had not grieved his Spirit which he gave them and so they griev'd him and dost thou not believe that the Apostle and those Corinthians had the spirit of God who sayes let not us tempt God as they tempted him nor murmur as they murmured and Heb. 3. the Apostle sayes to day if you will hear his voice harden not your hearts as in the provocation in the day of temptation in the Wilderness when your fathers saw my works I was grieved with that generation they do always erre in their hearts and what did they erre from in their hearts if it was not from the spirit for when they had heard God they did provoke him though all that came out of Egipt did not provoke him for as the Gospel being preached to all Nations the word was preached to them but the word did not profit them not being mixed with faith in them that heard it Heb. 3. and Heb. 4. and in Rom. 10. The word of faith which they preached was in the mouth and in the heart which all had heard and can any hear the word and have not the spirit and is not the word spiritual for doth not the Apostle say to the Romans which had been Heathens and Moses to the Jewes Deut. 30. from the 10. to 15. vers which saith It was not far off nor hidden from them which saith they need not say Who shall ascend up into Heaven or beyond the Sea to bring it but the word is very nigh even in thy heart and in thy mouth that thou maist do it so good and evil life and death was set before them and this was spoken as well to those that did disobey God and for their wickednesse should be scattered among the Nations if hap'ly thence they should turn from their wickedness and turn unto the Lord and then they need not say who shall go up to Heaven or to beyond the Sea to bring the word for it was very nigh them in their hearts and in their mouths that they might obey and do it and the Scripture witnesses the fulfiling of this upon many of them And whereas thou sayest That the spirit was vexed in Noah and not in the old World this is contrary to the Scriptures for the Lord said My spirit shall not alwayes strive with man and how that the Sons of God saw the Daughters of Men and took of them Wifes of all that they chose and how that all flesh had corrupted its way which shewes they had a way before they corrupted it but thou sayest they had not the spirit doth not the Apostle say 1 Pet. 3. 18 19 20. vers That Christ preached to the spirits in Prison which sometimes were disobedient when the long-suffering of God waited in the dayes of Noah and what Prison is this and what Prison is it that the Prisoners of hope must shew themselves forth and as it is written Sodom gave its self over to fornication c. wherefore God brought his vengeance upon them who judges the World in righteousness this shewes a transgression that they went from the good and gave themselves up to wickedness as spiritual Sodom does now and if wicked Men have not the spirit as thou saist how then can God who is a spirit judge the World in righteousness and doth not the Apostle justifie the Heathen Phylosophers for saying We all live and move in God Acts 17. 27 28. that if hap'ly they might feel after God and finde him though he be not far from every one of us and how can they feel after him and have not his spirit which thou ignorantly with thy mind puft up sayes they have it not and because the Saints was a habitation of God through the Spirit therefore thou asserts wicked men have not the spirit to vex and grieve it but this proves it not that such

great is that Darkness Together with this Light set up in every man which shows him his Creator that he is to be served and how he is to be served of necessity there must be a Law Implanted in him which Law is called Light Prov. 6. 23. whereby the will and mind of his Creator which is imprest upon him and made known unto him so that he by the Spirit or Light set up in him could reflect this Law and understand the reason and reasonableness of it this was the fullest Light in man before the fall he could look his God in the face and come to his presence with the Light and serve him with Gladness Answ What error and confusion is this if the Light which is Darkness shewed Adam the face of God and is that which shews the Creator and is the Law in the heart which reflects upon people for that which is spoken of in the 6 of Math. where Christ saith if that light that be in you be darkness how great is that darkness which he spoke to the double Ey'd State which if the Eye be single the whole body is full of light And Adam before he fell had no darkness in him and if the Law in the 6 of the Prov. be darkness in men with Mat. 6. as thou comparest it in thy blind erroneous meaning and so perverts the Scriptures to thy own distruction for the Law is light and the Reproofs of Instruction is the way to life and this we affirm to be saving and not the Light which is called Darkness And the Law of God which is placed in the heart whereby the will and mind of God is known Spiritually and the things of God are known only by the Spirit of God and this is above mans Reason or Spirit or darkness and keeps men in Reason out of darkness and orders mens Spirits to know the Lord and herein thou hast manifested thy error and Ignorance for men in the light which is called darkness knows not God nor in their natural estate as they are err'd from the Spirit of God and Adam was above that state before he fell of men in the Natural estate in the fall whose light is darkness and this is thy darkness and ignorance in paralleling them together And whereas thou sayst since the fall this Candle of the Lord in man is become exceeding dim to what it was so that his understanding was darkned with blindness and Ignorance Ephes 4. 18. yet it is not wholly Extinct for then he could not Exist but would cease to be and the Law which was written in mans heart now is not so plainly to be read yet there is sufficient left to render God Righteous in his proceeding against man who hold the measure of knowledg left in them that is to say of his eternal power and God-head c. Answ By this thou hast contradicted thy self and granted that every man hath the Spirit for can any know the eternal power of God and his God-head without his Spirit Then do they not know Christ in whom the fulness of the God-head dwells in and before thou calls it natural and Darkness and Reason and mans Spirit who art ignorant of the new Covenant Christ Jesus the Light which is given to all man-kind who is beyond the first which thou art groping in making nothing of in thy dark understanding and yet thou compares it this Candle to the light before the fall and with darkness one while is the Spirit of a man and another while is the Spirit of a man and another while is Reason and where there is Reason there 's the Spirit of Faith and thus intrudes into those things thou never saw which puffs up thy fleshly mind 2. Thou sayst What use is this light of or what can this Light in every man do since the fall And again thou saist this Light or Spirit of a man searcheth all the parts of the belly Prov. 20. 27. or as the Apostle saith it medleth with the things of a man 1 Cor. 2. 11. For what man knoweth the things of a man save the Spirit of man which is in him that manifests every action of man it looks upon every thing done or to be done with a direct Act of the understanding and this singly considered makes not any thing that is done to be good or evil Answ All may see how thou hast contradicted thy former words which thou said it manifests his eternal power and God-head and it was the Law in the heart And now it makes nothing to be good or evil thy light doth not and in this thou hast contradicted thy former sayings And how can God judge the world in Righteousness if the light that is in man shews him neither good nor evil And this is contrary to Rom. 2. 20. For that which may be known of God is manifested in them for God hath shewed it unto them by which they know Good and Evil and doth the Candle of the Lord search all the inward parts of the belly and manifests every action of man and looks upon every thing done or to be done with a direct act of the understanding and yet the evil that a man doth manifested to his understanding what contradictions and blindness is this for if every action that a man doth is manifested then sin is manifested or else every action is not manifested and if this light manifests in man what is done and what is to be done this makes him a Prophet According to thy words who has manifested thy self to beignorant both of the old Covenant and the new And that which is spoken of 1 Cor. 2. the which thou brings to oppose the Light in every man And whereas thou say'st when this light or mans spirit reflects upon the Law written within according to which it is done or not done the evidness of the actions discovered these reflects are of the Soul and is called Conscience that is a knowing together with some else thus the Law discovers the quality of the action according to Rom. 3. 20. by the Law is the knowledge of Sin now according to the conformity or non-conformity that a man's actions bears to the Law such will its sentence be and answerable to the sentence the Law pronounceth will be the excusations or accusations of the person according to Rom. 2. 15. which shews the work of the Law written in their hearts their Consciences also bearing witness and their thoughts the mean while excusing or accusing one another this is that witness which the Lord hath left for himself in men that he may be just when he judgeth the World and every mouth stopped at the great day Rom. 2. 5 6. this manifested to Adam his transgression which made him hide himself Gen. 3. 13. this manifested to Judas his sin and caused him to bring back the money and confess he had sined this may answer Henry Wood's Query neither is this light only exercised

light And the Son of God is come And what dost thou talk of Grace and denies his Light And what dost thou talk of the love which was in the Fathers bosome for thou who denies him who is the Light of the world and that dost not believe in him the light how should thou have Everlasting life but perish in thy gain-saying And thou saist That Christ did not come to enlighten every man that comes into the world but only those that believe on him and brings Ioh. 3. 19. 8. 12. Ans This is thy saying and not Iohns thou hast wronged those Scriptures for none of them doth say that Christ did not come to enlighten every man that comes into the world but only those that believe thou hast not proved this by the Scriptures though thou hast perverted many for Iohn 1. said he was the true light that lighteth every man that comes into the world And thou saist but only those that believe And Christ says I am the light of the World and believe in the light And Ioh. 3. 19. 8. 12. doth not say there he hath only enlightned some but all good and bad such as hate the light and would not come to it lest the light should reprove them whose deeds be evil this is thy condition And the Condemnation is because that light is come into the world and men love darkness rather than light because their deeds be evil but he that doth truth cometh to the light that his deeds may be manifest that they are wrought in God but thou art not come to the light whose deeds be evil and so manifests that they are not wrought in God but fights against it And whereas thou speaks The word made flesh is he that was promised to be a Covenant to the people and a Light to the Gentiles who brings into the world a Life and Light far exceeding the Light that was set up in every man that comes into the world by the word Creator Answ This word made flesh and Covenant of Light which the Prophets gave testimony of as in the 1 of John thou denyes And in Joh. 8. and Luk. 2. A Light to lighten the Gentiles And this was Christ for John saith he was not the Light but came to bear witness of the Light that was the true Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the World And this is above thy natural Light and created Light and made Light And doth give life And dost thou not mean the Scripture when thou speaks of the word Creator For we have good reason to suspect thee seeing thou said to me Thomas Curwen and to William Wilson in thy Chamber That the Scriptures were the Author of thy Faith for the rest of thy Generation used to tell us That the Scriptures was the word and the Light of the Creator is a Natural and a created Light and the Spirit of a natural man that knows the things of God And this is the Light that John came to bear witness of saist thou And this thy miserable darkness in saying Iohn came to bear witness of a created and natural Light and Spirit of a man and a natural mans Conscience That he should be sent of God to bear this witness For as many as received him this light which did enlighten them became the Sons of God but they that hated this light it became their Condemnation Joh. 3. Joh. 1. 12. And thou nor none will never receive Life nor Son-ship but as they receive the Light which thou hates makes such outrage against but that Light which Iohn bore witness of which thou bears witness against has ript off thy covering manifested thy deeds turned thy inside out And the Light is a stumbling block to thee and a Rock of offence for it seems it has offended thee an thou that would not have the Light will not have the Son and so has denied thy self of Life yet thou wilt bow the knee and spit in his face and say is not this the Carpenters Son the natural Light like the Jews And where doth the Scripture say which thou hast perverted that Iohn came to bear witness of the Light the Word Creator and not of Christ the Ligh the Word Make this good by plain Scripture without thy immaginations and before they be born again they must believe in the Light Iohn the 12th And so men are in Death and Darkness and hates the Light as thou dost and remains in the Natural State while they hate the Light for that which makes manifest is the Light Ioh. 3. Ephes 5. 13. And thou saist The neglect of this distinction of the word Creator and the Word made Flesh which is so plainly laid down in the Scripture as hath been shewed is the ground of the great mistake of many who not considering what is testified of the word as Creator do confound that light which is set up by him as such in every man with that Light which he gives as he is the word made flesh and so call the light saving which is but Natural springing up with him in his Creation yea hence they call that Light Christ which is but the Law written in the heart whereas Christ is the Law-giver and so cannot be the Law Ans Here thou holds forth two Words and was it not the word that became flesh and doth not John Revel 19. say that he is the Alpha and Omega and his Name is called the Word of God so here is one word but thou hath not found another word and so to make two words and here thou goes about to divide Christ when the Scripture saith I and my Father are one Joh. 17. And there is three that bear Record in Heaven the Father VVord and Holy Ghost and these Three are one he doth not say two words Joh. 5. 7. And is not the New Covenant Christ the Law in the heart Hob. 8. 9 10 11. And it is false for we do not call the Natural Light springing up with man in his Creation saving but we say Christ is the Light and Salvation to the ends of the Earth And the light which is Natural that comes from the word Creator by which they may know the Eternal power and God-head as thou saist before by which they may seek and feel after God and brings Cor. 2. which saith The Natural man doth not know nor perceive the things of God Was there ever such confusion as this for they that had that which let them see the Eternal Power and God-head was by that which might be known of God which was manifest in them for that which brings people to know the Eternal Power and God-head and to feel and seek after him and to know much of the Creator is not a Natural light as thou saist doth but it is a Spiritual Light and it is thou that confounds thy self with thy own imaginations and distinctions and wrongs and abuses the Scriptures and is

John who saw they was come said the Saints had the Anointing within them to teach them and they needed not any man to teach them but as the Anointing teacheth them and the Apostles brought them to the Light within them and the Law within them and Christ bid them not to follow the false Prophets but he would dwell in them and his spirit should lead them into all truth Joh. 14. and 2 Cor. 4. Heb. 8. 1. And whereas thou saist We have cryed against the Priests and Teachers as Hirelings and deceivers coveteus scandalous c. and their Hearers as ignorant superstitious formal and that every charge hath much of truth in it Ans Here thou art made to confess something to the Truth as the Devil did to the Son of God and hath judged thy self too for thou was one that we cryed against at Manchester and our testimony stands against thee as it did who professes what thou art not dost thou not remember Elizabeth Hulme John Abraham James Harrison and what a rage and madness thou was in when they came to thee to declare the things of God and how thou lift up thy Fist of wickedness against John Abraham and could not hold thy violent hands and the guilt in you all have answered our testimony and thou yet was never able to stand to truths face nor answer the truth if thou had thou would have answered the Queries e're now And we are not of them which cries loe here is Christ or loe there is Christ but as the Apostle saith Col. 1. 27 28. Christ in you the hope of Glory whom we preach warning every man and teaching every man that we might present every man perfect in Christ Jesus and Christ was not like to be found amongst you when you denyed the Light and they that were innocent that had received the Light quickly saw you and this Light hath and will stop all your mouthes that denies it and the Light is not a shew but the substance And thou would seem to hide thy self from the carnal proud professors as if thou wert not of them but they that knows thee knows what thou hast been and what thou art yet and all thy Congregations which thou hast gathered where hast thou left them now so that which thou who denies the Light hath been doing is but to beat the Air. And all that were sober and feared God seeing you persecuting us and reviling against the Light and against the Spirit and what unchristian actions they used against us was a cause through quiring into truth to cause them to forsake you who denyed the Light of Jesus who broke into confusion amongst your selves and biting at truth and biting at one another till you were consumed one of another And so the good meaning people that did not make Godliness a game as you did imbraced the Light of Jesus and came into the fellowship of the Light and the Gospel which is the power of God Rom. 1. And whereas thou saist The well meaning people easily fell into their Net to do homage to their new God in the mean while the ignorant rash Priests and people who dealt with them lost themselves and injured the truth and gave this people ground to glory over them Ans If the well meaning people fell to us then the ill meaning people staid with you and this manifests you are fallen from truth when the well meaning forsook you And whereas thou saist they did homage to their new God Nay it s that God and Christ which 〈◊〉 ever was and will be whom you for sook and denyed as thou denies still and mocked with your words like them that opposed the Apostles and called it a new Doctrine a setter forth of strange Gods Acts and so you did injure the truth as thou dost now and it is Christs Net which they were catched in which kept the good and threw out the bad according to thy own Words and as you have injured the truth so hath God brought his judgments upon you and thou hath given us as much cause to glory over thee as ever any did but our glorying was and is in the Lord God and his Son Jesus Christ who hath dearly bought us with his Blood and thou that denies the Light crucifies Christ afresh and puts him to open shame And whereas thou saist the right course to deal with us is to distinguish between good and evil Ans This thou hast not done as is manifest in thy Book but like one of the false Prophets who follows thy own spirit and sees nothing but puts darkness for light and light for darkness and thou hast manifested thy unrighteous dealing to us in all thy Book and thou dost not own the good nor imbrace it nor cherish it how canst thou when thou denies the Light of Christ for that which doth make manifest and reproves is light and all things is manifest by the Light and this Light thou hatest and chofest the darkness Ephesians 5. and loves it more then the Light John 3. And whereas thou saist Thou will joyne issue with us to bear witness against hireling Priests against Tythes against superstitious carnal Worship against swearing against corrupt worldly customes herein joyne with them are they at least in shew for the power of Godliness as well as the forme for worshipping in spirit and truth for justice for Righteousness sobriety mercy gravity and whatsoever is excellent in life and conversation so am I yea whatsoever they can make appear to be evil that I would east off with as much indignation as they and what further good they can shew that I have not learned that would I gladly imbrace Ans When did John Wiggan bear Testimony against Hireling Priests and Tyth-takers should not John Wiggan had Tythes at Manchester to make up his Wages and was not he a Priest at his Chappels where he put off his dark Ware denying the Light of Christ and now when John hath lost his Chappels he will cry against them and their formality now when he cannot get them Oh subtilty but would he cry against them if he had 100. or 200 l. a Year given him nay would he not bless them for it and how can thou worship God in spirit truth who denies Christ the Light spirit of God to be in every man Thou art a false Worshipper thy Worship is false the Lord moved us to cry against thee and that in thy high dayes and must thou talk of crying against corrupt Customs and be in them thy self for thy evil words hath corrupted thy manners and thou art not for the power of Godliness and thou art far from the modesty gravity or justice or righteousness thy language bewrayes thee as thy lyes and slanders with mocking scoffing reproachful words and thy sawey language to Friends and especially to Margaret Fells which shames both Learning and Breeding and that most excellent thing in life and conversation thou hast

denyed which is the Light of Christ Jesus and if thou would cast off thy evil cast off thy lying slanders reproaches mockings scoffings and if ever thou wilt learn or imbrace good thou must imbrace the Light of Christ Jesus which hitherto thou hast reproached and wilt thou learn of us which thou callest Antichrist thou manifests thy self this is but one of thy flattering scorns And whereas thou saist Through the Riches of Grace having cast out those Beams which dims the eyes of many I can better discern the meates that lyes deep in the bottom of their eye Answ Thou denying the Light of Christ Jesus and not owning the grace which brings salvation which hath appeared to all men as in Titus Thou art far off the Riches of the Grace who calls Christ the Light an Idol and instead of casting out Beams and Moats thou art fighting against Christ the Light Truth and Covenant and Salvation to the ends of the Earth And whereas thou saist Being of equal ground with them can tell them that all their sair pretences and high expressions are found to be a covering too short to hide their nakedness and deceit Ans It is Truth we hold forth and fair pretences is thy own condition in words but out of life and so thy nakedness is seen to all that fear God and thy deceitful covering which is now taken off and thou art manifest and thou art not upon equal ground with us who denies Christ to be the Light And whereas thou saist While they call others Deceivers they themselves are the more subtle Deceivers Ans In this thou hast declared thy own condition for we are saved by Christ and hold him forth and declare what we have heard and seen Iohn 1. 3. and declares aginst all such Deceivers as thou art who is an Enemy to Man's Salvation Christ Jesus the Light John 8. And whereas thou saist While they call others Babylons Merchants and charge them for selling Christs the Prophets and Apostles words they themselves do the some and that none sells more Babylonish then they nor at higher rates then they as might be instanced in several Persons that I forbear to mention Ans We are come cut of Babylon where thou art and all your confusions and have recived the Lord Jesus Christ whom we declare freely as we have received without money or price and we do abhor thy lyes and slanders as to declare Babylons Merchants and such as makes a Trade upon Christs the Prophets Apostles words then to do the same things our selves which no honest man can charge us justly with such things but such as thee who sells thy self to work wickedness and the Lord will rebuke thy spirit for charging that upon his innocent Lambs which they are not guilty of and we do charge thee to mention those particulars and their Names that hath sold such ware at so great a rate and what was the rate and who and what are their Names that bought it And whereas thou saist while thou endeavours to discover their deceits thou intends not to hurt any thing that 's good in them Ans It is the good in us that thou strikes at and in that thou hast discovered thy own deceit as may be seen all along in thy Book together with thy contradictions And thou saist Hosea 14. 9. who so is wise and he shall understand these things prudent and he shall know them for the wayes of the Lord are right and the just shall walk in them But John wiggan hath fully discovered his foolishness and that he walks not in the way of the Lord which is Light for Christ saith I am the Light I am the Way the Truth and the Life and this Light he hath denyed A POSTSCRIPT How hath thou lived in sloath and idleness that thou hast not convinced those that turned from thee which was thy Heareis all these many Years that thou begins but now alack for thee they are on a Foundation above thee and so thy Sandy Foundation and darkness and enmity and making gaine of the Apostles and Christs Words has been thy own condition and keeping People alwayes in Teaching that they may alwayes be Paying thee And now that thy Goin as gone thou grumbles and mutters against those that be innocent and judgeth them in the practice of thy self and so measureth them with by own Earthly Spirit and judgeth them with Earthly judgment which cometh not near them Something in ANSVVER To JOHN WIGANS APPENDIX Wherein he Compares the Evil Language of the Quakers with the False Prophets Answ TO tell a man he is a Lyar if he find him so is not a Mark of a false Prophet for Jeremiah did so Jer. 23. And the Apostle was no false Prophet when he told them they spake lyes in hypocrisie 1 Tim. 4. And Jeremiah was no false Prophet when he said They bent their tongues like a how to speak lyes Jer. 9. Nor David was no false Prophet when he said They turned aside after lyes Psal 40. And the Apostle was no false Prophet when he said Satan had filled their hearts Act. 5. as he hath done thine else would thou not have uttered so many lyes against us but we are not afraid of thy Reproaches Psal 51. 2. neither do we matter thy mocks for fools make a mock at sin Prov. 14. 16. And knowing that mockers was to come in the last times Jade 18. Though we have undergone the trial of cruel mockings but God will not be mocked with thy Religion and vain words Gal. 6. for what thou sowest thou must reap and our words that are spoken to you are truth who makes no distinction when the truth speaks to the wickedness and unrighteous state of man which the wicked may get the words as thou dost and throw upon the righteous And whereas thou compares us to the false Prophets and the unclean spirits in the Revelations which came cut of the mouth of the Dragon and were proud boasters false accusers and incontinent fierce despisers of those that are good Answ John this is thy own condition thou hast directly read it yet before thou said thou would learn of us and thou said they were the better meaning people that came to us thus thou foamest out thy own shame like unto the raging waves of the Sea And whereas thou saist We boast of persection and sinless life and are the servants of corruption Answ This is false the Lord rebuke thy spirit for our perfection is in Christ the crown of our rejoycing who thou saist is an Idol and Christ we serve and not corruption And see if any of our Friends have spoken such words to thee as thou hast spoken against the truth and thou denying the spirit and Light in men by which they should see their salvation thou can be no otherwise but as a wave of the Sea as a Well without water and a Cloud without rain as in Jude manifest to be in the

to him all the Prophets gave witness and while Peter spoke these Words the Holy Ghost fell on all them that heard the Word And what Word was this they heard when the Holy Ghost fell on them was it not the word the Apostle preached Christ Oh thou enemy of God how should Christ be preached if that word which the Apostles preached was not Christ and were not they the Ministers of the Gospel and of the Spirit 2 Cor. 1. 18. But as God is true our word towards you was not yea and nay for the Son of God Jesus Christ who was preached amongst you by us even by me and Silvanus and Timotheus was not yea and nay but in him was yea Here the Apostle clearly manifests that the word which they Preached was the Son of God Christ Jesus and was not the word of Reconciliation which the Apostle preached was not this Christ doth he not say All things are of God who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ and hath given unto us the Ministry of Reconciliation to wit that God was in Christ reconciling the World unto himself not imputing their Trespasses unto them and hath committed unto us the word of Reconciliation and we are Embassadours for Christ as though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christs stead be ye reconciled unto God for he hath made him to be sin for us that knew no sin that we might be made the Righteousness of God in him This message is a torment to J. W. he is none of those Embassadours he carrieth no such message as this this is contrary to his Doctrine for he will not have God and Christ to be one nor he will not have the World reconciled for he saith The Light that lightens them is not saving and how can they be reconciled unto God if they be not saved from their sin he makes account that Christs Blood is not shed for all and the Apostle saith He is the Propitiation for the sins of the whole World But J. W. saith that this Word is not Christ and the Apostle did commend those that he preached to and committed them to the word of his Grace which is able to build them up and to give them an Inheritance among all them that are Sanctified But for the Readers satisfaction we shall prove something out of the Old Testament Did not Abraham see Christs day and was glad and believed and it was counted to him for Righteousness was not this by Christ the Word which was in the beginning with God who said before Abraham was I am did not Moses write of him as Christ saith and saith A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren like unto me him shall you hear in all things Did not Moses see this by the word that was in his heart which he preached to them and did not David Prophesie and saw Christ set up a King upon the Holy Hill of Zion and said he would declare the Decree of the Lord the Lord hath said unto me thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee aske of me and I will give thee the Heathen for thy inheritance and the utmost parts of the Earth for thy possession Psal 2. But J. W. would not have Christ to have none of these nor such large possessions he will not have him the Light nor Saviour of the World nor have the Heathen for his Inheritance and David saw Christ a Priest for ever after the Order of Melchisadecke and did he not see this by the Word that was in his heart that was a Light unto his pathes and a Lanthorn unto his steps and he said he had hid his word in his heart Psal 119. And thy Word is sweeter then the honey or the honey-combe And Solomon saith Pro. 8. 27. The Lord possessed me in the begining I was set up from everlasting from the begining or e're the Earth was was not this the word that was in Solomon's heart from the begining and the word that Isaiah the Son of Amos saw concerning Juda and Jerusalem It shall come to passe in the last dayes that the Mountain of the Lord's House shall be established on the top of the Mountains Isay 2. from the 1. vers to the 5. where he saith Oh yee House of Jacob come yee and let us walke in the Light of the Lord was not this the Light of Christ by which he saw the Mountain of the Lords House that was to be in the last dayes and was not this the Word Christ that was in the Prophet who said that their root should be rottennesse and their blossomes should goe up as dust because they have cast away the Law of the Lord and despised the holy one of Israel which Law the Prophet saw goe out of Sion and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem was not this Christ Jesus the light and word of God and the Lord sent a word unto Jacob and it lighteth upon Israel and is not this Christ Jesus Gods Covenant And the Prophet Isaiah when he spoke to the people he told them their eares should hear a word behind them when they turned to the right hand or to the left and their eyes should see their Teacher and he should never more be removed into a corner and who is this that is given for a Leader and a Guider and Teacher is not this Christ that the Prophet calls to when he saith Ho every one that thristeth come and buy c. where he saith Incline thine ear and thy Soul shall live and I will make an Everlasting Covenant with thee even the sure mercies of David Is not this in Christ and is not this Call to every one that will come and incline their ear to the Light of Christ in their hearts and consciences and hearken to the word in their hearts which is given for a leader and a teacher of all people But such Ministers of darkness as J. W. never directed to this teacher and so keeping them in darkness keeps them in sin in wickedness but the Lord is coming and is come already blessed be his name to redeem and has redeemed many thousands out of their mouthes and from under the tyranny of the oppressor which they have long kept poor people in and Ier. 15. 16. where Ieremy said Thy word is myjoy and the rejoycing of my heart Was not this word Light in his heart which is sown for the Righteous and joy for the upright in heart And again Ier. 20. 9. But his Word was in my heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones and I was weary with forbearing and I could not stay And again Ier. Is not my Word like a Fire saith the Lord and like a hammer that breaks the Rocks in pieces Chap. 23. 29. Did not all these Prophets and Holy men of God speak and prophesie with many more which the Scripture makes mention of from the Word of God in

the Saints from them both thou hast committed Sacriledge indeed who has denyed the great work of Salvation and Redemption of Mankind which the Apostle admired at that God should send his only begotten Son into the World that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have Everlasting Life But this Christ thou has gain-said and resisted and denyed and so is never like to have benefit by him but he will be thy condemnation for ever And here thou hast fulfilled old Simeons prophesie in the 2d of Luke Vnto whom it was revealed by the Holy Ghost that he should not see death before be had seen the Lords Christ who took him in his Armes and blessed God and said Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace according to thy word for mine eyes have seen thy Salvation which thou hast prepared before the face of all people a Light to lighten the Gentiles and the Glory of thy people Israel and behold this Child is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel for a signe which shall be spoken against And here thou art the man that has set thy self against him and is fallen and so has denyed Christs coming in the flesh and also has denyed God being in Christ reconciling the World unto himself which the Apostle said 1 Tim. 3. 16. Was a great mystery God manifested in the flesh justified in the spirit And so thou that denies the Light of Christ and his Spirit which opens and reveales the mystery thou art not like but to be ignorant who has denyed Christ in his God-head Ioh. 5. 7. for the Apostlesaith There are three that bear Record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are one and this Record thou has denyed for first thou has denyed Christ to be the Word and secondly thou has denyed Christ to be one with the Father and so thou has denyed Christ to be God except thou will have two Gods for thou has created already two Lights and two Words thou will neither have Christ to be the Light of the World nor thou will not have him to be the Word which was in the beginning with the Father nor thou will not have him to be Gods Covenant of Light with Abraham and his Seed and also the promise of God unto Adam where the Lord said The Seed of the Woman shall bruise the Serpents head And now let the Reader judge whether thou be not a perfect Antichrist who hath denyed Christ come in the flesh both in his Light wherewith he lightens all people that comes into the World Secondly he denies him to be the Word which was in the beginning by which all things was made and created which is the Word the Apostle directed people to in their hearts Rom. 10. 45. Thirdly He denies him to be come in the Covenant of God which is light by which he reconciles all things to himself both of things in Heaven and of things in Earth Ephes 1. 10. And fourthly thou has denyed him to be one with his Father and so I believe here the Reader will confess that J. W. is perfectly proved an Antichrist for the Apostle saith Joh. 4. 3. Every Spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God and this is the spirit of Anti-christ whereof you have heard should come and now is in the World And again in the 2 Ep. of John and the 1. Many Deceivers are entred into the World who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh this is a deceiver and an Antichrist And so as for I. VV. he doth not only not confess Christ but hath denyed Christ to be come in the flesh as hath been manifestly proved and so is he of whom the Apostle saith VVhosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the Doctrine of Christ hath not God but he that abideth in the Doctrine of Christ hath both the Father and the Son Here the Apostle joynes them together and puts them not asunder as I. VV. doth And therefore we are not to receive him into our Houses neither bid him God speed but deny him as he hath denyed Christ and has proved himself an Antichrist compleat And whereas thou speakes in thy Book That multitudes are ensnared for want of dividing or making distinctions between God and Christ and brings the 2 of Peter 2. 2. many shall follow their pernitious wayes Answ Let the Reader read the portion of Scripture in his own judgment and truth of his heart let him judge whether this Scripture be not a true Character of thee and thy Generation of Priests or whether he can judge the Quakers to be such a People as this Scripture holds forth and by this he may judge the falsity of thy judgment and thy envy and malice which breaks forth in lying The next words following are Many shall follow their pernitious wayes by reason of whom the way of truth is evil spoken of and through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandize of you who is this the Quakers or it is I. W. and his company of Priests thou breakes off betime if thou had written any further in Peter it would have come upon thy own head But there is a verse before which saith That there would be false Prophets that would bring in damnable Heresies even denying the Lord that bought them and bring upon themselves swift destruction Here thou art perfectly set forth for I believe never any denyed him more wickedly then thou hast done as is manifestly proved and so art that false Prophet there spoken on But again verse 15. They were such as followed the way of Balaam for the wages of unrighteousness Art not thou one of these Again there were such as walked after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness must not thou needs be he who denyes the Light that manifests sin and uncleanness thorough the obedience of which they may be preserved out of it but they were to receive the reward of unrighteousness and so wilt thou who art reserved unto the day of judgment to be punished And now thou being thus manifested and proved to be what is before mentioned that the words in my Letters will fall of necesity upon thee though thou have endeavoured to cover thy self by thy setting my words in thy own frame and thereby to make them seem as if they were railing Speeches and spoken without ground And 1. Where as thou saith that I writ in my Letter to manifest thy gain-saying Spirit Core like Let the Readers judge whether this be not manifestly proved upon thy head before in gain-saying the Truth Christ who is the Light that lightens every man c. 2ly Thou saist I said Thou art without God in the World my words are thus The Light in every one as it is obeyed makes the separation from the World which Light thou denyes and so art without God in the VVorld who is Light and in

him is no darknesse at all 3ly Thou saist I said Thou hast manifested thy self to be out of the first step that leads to Christianity and art a Priest of Darknesse These words are true upon thee for the Light Christ Jesus the VVord which thou hath denyed is the entrance into life and Christ is the VVay the Light and the Truth and the Dore which thou hast denyed and so by Christs own words thou art a Thief that enters not in at the Dore the Light but climb'st up another way Jo. 10. And so thy Prayers and all thy fleshly performances must need be abhominable who art without the Dore Christ the Light amongst the Theeves and Robbers and of thy commiting Sacriledge that is proved before sufficiently and also thy blaspheming against the holy Spirit of God There needs no more to be said to that it is sufficiently proved before And in my second Letter thou saith 1. I said thou begins with a lye and ends with the Devil and sets J. W. next to him Thy own Letter which thou sent to me which I sent thee back again will testifie that to be true as it is there written And is thou offended that I should mention thy own words to thee art thou ashamed of them now and art thou offended at me because I writ of that which thou had writ with thy own Pen thou art so muddeld that thy own actions torments thee 2ly Thou saist I spoke of thy black defiled heart and conscience Answ They are so and blackness and darkness thou art filled with who doth deny and gain-say the Light of Christ in thy own conscience and that is the cause thou art such an inveterate enemy against Christ the Light in every man but his witness in thy own conscience will be a Worm that will gnaw thee and Fire that will never be quenched one day though thou make slight of it now but did not thou say in a Letter to me thou had received my blacke Lines not that I writ these words to thee rendering railing for railing but my words are true upon thee in thy present condition 3ly Thou saist I said thou was a Child of darkness what hast thou to do to take the name of God and Christ in thy mouth thou enemy of God Answ My words are these Thou enemy of God that knowes him not whom none knowes but the Father and none knowes the Father but the Son and whom the Son reveales him to and thou that hath not a Revelation of him art a Thief that takes his name in thy mouth but the cause of my writing these words was that thou had writ in thy Letter to me That I ought not to judge before Christ Iesus be revealed 4ly Thou saith I said Thou art no Believer in Christ thou art yet in thy sins c. Answ But my words are these thou said thou was in the light of Christ that enlighteneth all Believers and my Answer to those words was Thou art no Believer of Christ that abides not in his Doctrine for they that believes abides not in darknesse where thou art but is past from death to life which thou art an enemy to and therefore do not deceive thy self for thy hope will perish and thy faith is vain thou art yet in thy sins and art thou offended because I said thou art yet in thy sins and is it not thy Doctrine that none can be free from sin while they are upon the Earth and art thou not a sinner that 's proved a blasphemer against God 5ly Thou said I said Thou was a man separated from God Answ By his Light which thou art an enemy to 6ly Thou sayes I said Thou never knewest nothing of the worship of God Answ My words were these God is not worshiped but in his spirit which reveales him and so thou that has not the Revelation thou never knew the worship of God 7ly Thou sayest I said Thou envious poysenous heart Answ But my words are these And for thy uncivil termes that thou has invented out of thy envious poysenous heart as calling me the VVhore of Babilon and a Woman drunk and Iessabel with many other such like termes as these and so now the Reader may see thy deceitfull and theevish dealing though thou would hide and cover thy self this manifests thee to be a Child of darkness indeed Thou art ashamed of thy own words and conceales them for these forementioned termes Thou writ to me in thy Letter when thou was drunk with fury and takes mine in peeces and perverts them and belyes them if thou had had any dram of honesty thou might have set some of thy own foule words down which thou writ to me or at least have set mine down in order as they were writ to thee but to wrest and pervert and lye for thy own ends and advantage has been the Trade thou has followed all thy life time with the Scriptures 8ly Thou saist I said Thou art under the Chain of it it is over thee a fighter against God and his Truth and the Reward thou will be sure to have and never look that that which is cursed will be blest But thou hast left these words out and thou hast preached another Gospel then the Apostles did this thou hast left out Thou art accursed and no other portion can thou have and this is Scripture and Truth to thee In my third Letter thou saist I said Thou can do something in writing a Book of thy own Dreames and thy Imaginations and brain studies and telling of lyes which thou hatcheth out of darkness but thou art a meer sot and Ignoramus thy evil and unclean heart thy malitious darke envious spirit thy weakness inability and ignorance in the things of God But my third Letter began thus J. W. Thou has now made a poor end of thy boasting words and thy Assertion thou hath very meanly proved Thus far and thy way of Answering thus far for what is written to thee manifests thy weakness and ignorance and darkness sufficiently thou can do something in writing a Book of thy own Dreames and thy Imaginations and brain studies and telling of lyes and stories which thou hath hatched out of darkness when there is none to contradict thee but to Answer any thing which is plain Truth and Scripture thy spirit and doctrine and practice is so contrary to the truth and the spirit of God that gave forth the Scriptures in this thou art a meer sot and Ignoramus and so framed thy Answers of lyes scandals and reproaches and foule language which comes out of thy evil unclean heart for if any man should but read my two Papers which I have written to thee and thy Answer of them they may thereby read thy malitious darke envious speeches and also thy weakness inability and ignorance of the things of God And again thou saith I having told her that if she called the Light that is in every man that comes into the

hast told us of a true Christ and has left us without knowledge of him and without direction how to know him thou wilt be in danger here to be one of the blind Leaders except thou manifests to us what he is and where he is which thou has not done in all thy Book but all thy work has been to strike at ours and called him an Idol and yet has found us no better 10ly Thou seems by what thou hast writ in thy Book as though thou were a tryer of Spirits and makes distinctions of Lights and speaks of two words and also thou speaks as though thou could judge of Regeneration or new birth and who has the spirit of God and who has it not and not only so but as though thou could try true Apostles from false and true Doctrines from false so thou has taken upon thee a high seat of judgment when thou has taken upon thee to divide the Father from the Son Therefore I charge thee in the presence of the Living God and as thou wilt answer it before the Lord and his Elect Angels to answer to these things when and where and how didst thou receive the word of Life which was from the beginning when did thy eyes see it when did thy hands handle it that word of Life that was with the Father which the Apostl did see bore witness of Jo. 1. 1 2. 11ly When and where didst thou receive the power of God which is the Gospel the Apostle preached which is Salvation to every one that believeth 12ly When and where and how was it that the Son of God was revealed in thee when he was revealed in the Apostle he was to preach the Gospel to the Heathen didst thou receive thy Ministery by the inspiration of God and conferred not as the Apostle did not with flesh and blood yea or nay 13ly Was thou not made a Minister of men neither by men neither was thou taught by men but only by the Revelation of Jesus Christ 14ly When and where was the Holy Ghost poured upon thee as it was upon the Apostles when they were met together as also Peter bears witness Acts 5 30 32. who were faithful witnesses of Jesus Christ that he was a Prince and a Saviour and so also saith the Holy Ghost whom God hath given Heb. 10. 14 15 16. Whereof the Holy Ghost is a witness to us c. Now if thou hast received this Holy Ghost manifest when and where and how if thou dost not stop thy mouth of thy tryings and of thy distinctions of God and Christ and shut up thy treasures of darkness and sorcery out of which thou hast blasphemed against God and those that Worships Him And in thy Book thou saith speaking of the Priests and of the World being cloathed with guilt were never able to this day to look this people in the face to wit the Quakers Answ Prove and quit thy self of being one of these Priests and people by answering of those Queries above written as also Curwen's 24. Queries and also Henry Woods Queries which all stands unanswered and thy Assertion stands false yet and unproved and thou stands proved and charged a Blasphemer a Minister of Darkness and an Idolater and an Antichrist by plain Scriptures of truth which never can be broken thou art proved to be all these so see if thou and all thy flock and confederates can wipe this away off thee that is laid upon thee And answer all the Queries that is sent to thee by plain Scripture without wresting or turning or adding or diminishing left the plagues of God be added unto thee and if thou dost not thou and thy followers and all thy companions will be found amongst those that are not able to look the Quakers in the face for thou has as much guilt upon thee as ever man had which may well cause thee to turn thy back and stop thy mouth And so this is but an Answer to a part of thy Appendix which concerned me Margaret Fell. AND whereas thou saist another writes thus thou opposes the truth art an enemy to Christ an opposer of the Gospel the power of God and several other truths the substance whereof is plain truth and to thy condition every word as thou hast manifested in thy Book And whereas thou writes that another writes thou art in thy Will-worship carnal Ordinances thou hardens thy self against the truth thou art an enemy to God and his truth c. Ans But if thou hadst been an honest man thou would have put in all my words to thee in thy Book and their names who they were but they have hit thy condition therefore art thou tormented And whereas thou saist this is William Houldings Paper thou speaks falsly for it was mine Henry Wood and as for mine William Houldings Paper thou hast not put it in thy Book which speaks about George Foxes Leather-Breeches which thou having lost Religion God and Christ hast made such work about his Leather-Breeches but G. F. likes them better then thy cloak of Hypocricy and so its like thou was ashamed to put my Letter in thy Book or thy own Letter either in which thou made such work about them now this is Wood's Reply I put thee in mind first that Thomas Curwen and I Henry Wood did write some Queries to thee expecting to have them Answered by thee which were the occasion of the Dispute as the record of the Dispute will make manifest and whereof there was no end made of the assertion which was put forth has caused many Papers to pass and repass and according to my freedom I passed thy Paper upon this account because I had been an eye witness and an ear witness of some proceedings there and of thy joyning with William Barret a Cheshire man and this was about nine years ago at Manchester at John Maddocks House in a Dispute with our Friends another time there was a Dispute held at the same House between thee and Richard Huberthorn at that time thou made thy self manifest for thou broke into passion and said he was a publick person so that thou was reproved by one of thy own Auditors Edward Gaythorn by name but not withstanding thou rose up and went away uttering these words That if thou had known that so many would have been present thou would not have been there that time although thou had said before that thou was a publick person I knowing these proceedings gave forth this Paper that the Reader may know the ground wherefore I thus write because I had known thee thus long to oppose Christ the Light therefore those Queries sent by old Henry Wood and Thomas Curwen were as Pills to thee sent for this end that they might work out that old leaven of bitterness which I have known lying so long within thee as I have made mention of before and this I may say truly was done in love to thy Soul now this not being so

lead them this way Ans Those three or four sheets was most of them particular Letters sent to thee by many persons so as I said before thou shouldst have published the whole Letters not part of them and let them have spoken themselves to the Reader and thy errors are sufficiently manifest in thy Book and thou would have a sheet of Paper written to thy Book five sheets in a few dayes time which concerns several friends 60. miles distance one from another this was Wiggan's policy and his peoples to get the Book again and to boast that it could not be answered And thy next words concerning Antichrists fair speeches and allurements while there is hope to make merchandize of them is directly thy own condition for now thou being stirred up and opposed rages who did appear to ignorant people like a Lamb but thou was known to us before for now thou art loud and clamorous and falsly accusing when thou canst not get thy will about like to the Whore in Proverbs 7. and Josephs Mistress Genesis 39. and 2 Pet. 3. And whereas thou speaks of owning Preachers not sent but denyes the Lord that bought them and preaches not the same Jesus and Gospel as Paul did such thou saist thou ownes not but denies Ans Then thou denies thy self and thy own Assertion for the Apostle preached that Jesus which said he was the Light of the World Joh. 1. and Joh. 8. so thou art the man that Christ never sent Rom. 10. 15. and Jer. 23. 32. and thou art proved the Antichrist that denies the Lord that bought thee 2 Pet. 2. and Jude 4. and so art one of them that crept in unawares who preaches another Jesus another Gospel then Christ the Light And whereas thou saist we boast of gifts c. and that it s reported to thee that G. Fox had the gift of Tongues and by such like pretences we gain a multitude and it is a certain Character of Antichrists last coming that many shall follow their pernitious wayes Ans Our boast is not in gifts nor tongues as knowing they begin at Babel but our rejoycing is in the word Christ Jesus and in his Light Truth and Spirit and we would have all men and women come to the same in themselves which thou denies by which they might know the Lord by which a multitude is come to follow the Lord and to walk in his way the Light which thou enviously calls a pernitious way and a mark of Antichrists coming and thou Antichrist like would draw people from the Light and spirit of God within them to thy own way but God hath overthrown and is overthrowing thy pernitious wayes and many who have been followers of thee now comes to follow the Lord and that makes thee thus to rage Mathew 24. 5. 1 Pet. 2. 2. and our way is Christ and he is our guift of God And after this thou sends 12. Queries abroad and thou thy self couldst not answer my Queries nor Wood's is this the part of a man of Wisdom or Reason Nevertheless I shall not let thy Queries pass unanswered though these Queries are not to us chiefly Thy Queries are as followeth 1 Query Whether it can be found in all the Scriptures that any of the true Prophets or Christ or his Apostles ever used such language as is before mentioned in any person professing Repentance towards God and Faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ or whether it be not clearly the spirit of an Antichristian spirit as hath been hinted Ans Thou that has denyed Christ Jesus to be the Light of the World and calls him an Idol and hath denyed Christ the Light to be saving contrary to the Scriptures Luke 2. 38. thou hast denyed Repentance and Faith in Christ for thou hast denyed that which thou should believe in and therefore thy words bears the mark of Antichrist 1 Joh. 2. 18 22. Joh. 4. 3. Joh. 2. 7. And what we speak of thee is true upon thee and the Apostle used such language to such like as Acts 13. 10. where the Apostle called Elimas an enemy of all Righteousness a child of the Devil which perverted the Deputy from the right way of God as thou dost people And read Timothy and Titus and there see what words the Apostle gives to evil beasts and slow bellies Titus 2. 1. 2. Query Whether there can be any other gain in the aforesaid censures then to cast an odioum upon and to cause a disesteem of the persons opposing them and whether this was not the practice of the false Prophets and false Apostles thereby to gain more credit to their own cause Ans This is thy own condition for what gain is it by all thy former slanderous words which thou cast both upon Christ and us that Christ should not be believed in and that we should be of disesteem among people that holds truth forth to all people that they might believe in him who enlightens them and this was the work of the false Prophets and false Apostles to disesteem of Christ and the Apostles that people should not believe in him nor receive their Doctrine as Mat. 28. 12 13. and 2 Cor. 10. and did they not say Christ deceived the people read Mathew and did they not say Jeremy deceived the people but the false Prophets and false Apostles could get the true Christs Prophets and Apostles words but was out of the life and not being in the spirit the true Apostles alwayes judged them as thou art now 1 Peter 2. and Jude 3. Query Whether it be not a manifest abuse of the Scriptures and a presumptuous introduction into the office of Christ positively to affirme that the sins of any man shall never be forgiven in this World nor in that which is to come meerly because he denyed the Light that is in every man that comes into the World to be saving in as much as the Scripture no where saith thus that the Light is saving Ans Thou doth not only deny Christ the Light to be saving but thou denyest the Holy Ghost to reprove the World c. And Christ saith all sin may be forgiven but that which is against the Holy Ghost and thou dost also blaspheme and sin against him not as he is a man but as he is the Light and spirit Mat. 12. 36. and whereas thou saith the Scripture no where saith that the Light is saving the Scripture saith Christ is the Light and he is the Salvation John 8. and the Lord shall be to thee an Everlasting Light and the Lord is the Saviour of his people And Joh. 12. I am come a Light into the World saith Christ and he is a Saviour And Psal 27. 1. and David saith the Lord is my Light and Salvation And here thou lyes against that which the Holy Ghost hath said in saying the Scripture saith no where the Light is saving and in Isai 49. 6. where the Lord speaking of Christ saith I will give thee for a

the true Rock which the Prophets prophesied of should come whom the Apostles witnessed was come and for thy false saying that we grow weary and before thou complained we urged thee on how stands thy confusion together with reasonable men let them judge and we do not shuffle with thy assertion neither are weary of our cause which thou saist we are for we need not for we know what thou art who is wholly bent against Christ it is thou which is weary of thy cause and shuffles as thou hast reason for we relate some other of thy Assertions which thou hast laid down art thou now ashamed of them and yet saist thou will hold us to it and yet answers nothing to the purpose and it is Christ the foundation which thou strikes against as the Jewes did but to no purpose and thus thou and thy fellow Priests hath strucken at him who is our foundation till you be all fallen into the ditch and leads the people thither too it is manifest to the Nations Thou saist in thy Appendix again Thou art willing to debate the point in controversie before the Sheriff or others in Authority and saist let not G. F. thinke to shuffle himself out and put his taske upon others for he must know because it is affirmed that he was called of the Lord from his Trade as the Apostles were my desire is to deale with him chiefly in this matter and such others as say they are Apostles that their Doctrine and deeds being brought to Light it may appear whether they be true Apostles indeed or false and preach another Gospel then Jesus and Paul did as I have cause to suspect them and doubt not to prove them to be if they adhere to the Principles laid down in their Printed Books and maintained in their late debate Answ This is thy shuffle and base charge whereas thou saist G. F. would shuffle from it and lay it upon others that is false it s thou would shuffle from those which thou hast begun withall it seemes we gave thee enough the last time thou needs not call of G. F. for the least of us in the Truth is able to Answer thee and to see if thou can make good thy assertions which thou could not make good in the last Dispute nor hast not done yet which we yet call on thee to doe which by the Scriptures of Truth thou canst not prove without adding or diminishing and the same Jesus and Gospel whom Paul preached whom we own which thou saist thou will prove an Idol and prove us Antichrists who affirme this and as for all our Books which are given forth from the Truth we own and our deeds are brought to the Light and by this thine are seen and thou too to be one of the false Teachers and thy deeds to be deeds of darkness and why dost thou pervert M. F's words in saying G. F. was called from his Trade when her words was he was called from his Calling as thou reports and thou talkes of trying Apostles and denyes the Light Christ in thy dark spirit and calls Christ an Idol and natural Light and as for G. F. whose name thou hast publisht abroad in thy Letters up and down beyond the Sands and towards Manchester and to M. F. and sometimes scoffing at his Leather-Breeches sometimes at one thing sometimes at another and never was so civil as to write to him so we do look thou should make thy assertions good to us before thou medle with him for they concern us and we are the Men that will encounter with thee as before mentioned according to thy Challenge whom thou in scorn calls Meckhanike Men and as for me Thomas Curwen I nor none of us are no more Mechanicke then thy self nor never had collection yet John Though I have been a Prisoner above four yeares canst thou say so John and as for me G. F. I never spoke with thee but three times since thou came hither and once at London and I heard such euil language from thee as I never heard from man I coming into the last dispute with friends and then there being liberty granted I hearing thee lay down thy Assertions and affirming them together with thy people first That some men that came into the world had not the spirit of God which was put to thee to make good being thou was the mouth for them by plain Scripture without adding or diminishing which thou seemed to prove out of Jude which thou couldst not and that God denyed faith to some men and that Christ did not shed his blood for all men and that Balaam had no more spirit then his horse and that wicked men had not the spirit of God These things with several others which you asserted was put to thee to make good which thou hast not done to this day Nevertheless thou hast challenged to meet me G. F. and having disperst my Name in several Papers in a slanderous way and thy brother Price which came down to Fell's Chamber and Challenged me out which I presently came up and sent William Houlding to thee and bid thee come down to me in the Hall but thou would not come at me And whereas thou challenges me G. F. to meet thee before the Sheriffe My Answer is send me word when thou wilt and that thou will make these Assertions good by the plain Scriptures without adding or diminishing which thou hast laid down to me for I am ready to meet thee through the power and strength of Almighty God and if I have liberty according as thou hast challenged and many things more I have of thine for thee to make good which I shall not here put to Ink and Paper by plain Scripture for truth remains over all deceit G. F. And why dost thou flatter me William Houlding dost thou now own Mechanicks but thou owned none when thou writ to M. F. but jeared at G. F. in this report and lost thy Religion to talk of his Leather-Breeches and thus Fools will be medling with that which doth not concern them busie bodies in others matters And when thou had abused M. F. in thy Papers she sent for thee to speak with thee about the abuse but thou would not come at her and manifested herein thy guilt and uncivility and dost thou not make a noise abroad against us amongst ignorant people and keeps them from the Light that so thou maist get some Collections of them for thy Letters to M. F. signifies something of a false fear and jealousie that something should have gone besides thy mouth cruly I think that is the cause of thy rage against us who owns Christ Jesus the Light W. H. Here followes a Coppy of a Paper which was given to John Wiggan of his Assertions FRiend John Wiggan we hearing of a Book thou hast given into the Town before we had a Coppy of it another Challenge to us to meet before some publick Magistrate and the Sheriffe we